- Cruise Industry Development Committee to Meet on Mar. 10 to Review The 2nd Incheon 5-Year Cruise Industry Development Plan -

Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) announced that it held a meeting of the Cruise Industry Development Committee on March 10 in the Nanum Meeting Room at City Hall. During the meeting, academics, representatives from relevant organizations, and industry experts provided policy advice on the “2nd Incheon 5-Year Cruise Industry Development Plan (2026–2030)” and the “2026 Revitalization Plan for Incheon Cruise Industry.”

The meeting was held to explore mid-term to long-term strategies to help Incheon grow into a cruise hub of Northeast Asia, as cruise calls at Incheon Port continue to sharply rise amid recent changes in the global political climate and the recovery of cruise operations.

The committee’s discussion focused on the main directions of the 5-year plan, which outlines the future course of Incheon’s cruise industry over the next 5 years. Expert advice also covered major tasks, including strategic marketing to attract cruise lines, developing unique tourism content, improving accommodation for cruise visitors, and creating a cruise industry ecosystem.

A total of 133 cruise calls, bringing about 200,000 passengers, are scheduled to arrive in Incheon this year. This marks over a fourfold increase from last year’s 32 calls. The meeting also focused on ways to improve tourism infrastructure and visitor convenience so the growing number of cruise tourists can be accommodated more effectively.

Incheon plans to work with the Incheon Tourism Organization to strengthen tourist information services for cruise visitors. The city also plans to expand its free shuttle bus services connecting the cruise terminal with major destinations, such as Sangsang Platform and Songdo, in cooperation with relevant agencies, including the Incheon Port Authority and the Korea Tourism Organization.

A rise in homeport* and overnight** cruise calls has recently led to longer stays by cruise passengers. As passenger stays grow longer, committee members stressed the need to develop more stay-oriented tourism content and to improve tourism accommodations so that the increase in visitors can lead to actual local spending.

*Homeport: a port where cruise passengers board or disembark as the point of initial departure or final arrival for a cruise journey

**Overnight: a type of cruise itinerary in which the ship remains docked at a port for one night or longer

Participants also stated that a virtuous cycle should be built by developing region-specific tourism products and fostering related industries , over mid-term to long-term, allowing the cruise industry to take root as a new growth engine for the local economy.

Shin Jae-kyung, Vice Mayor for Global City Affairs, stated, “Incheon stands at a critical point, with surging cruise demand creating an opportunity to grow into a cruise hub of Northeast Asia. Based on the expert advice presented at this committee meeting, we will continue strengthening tourism infrastructure and content, so cruise tourists can truly experience Incheon as a city worth visiting again.”