With the completion of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal this June, Hong Kong is anticipating a boom in tourism welcoming more large cruise lines from North America.
The terminal was built to set the standard for cruise terminals worldwide, as well as be an “architecturally significant icon in Hong Kong,” says the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s U.S. director, Bill Flora. “It will no doubt significantly improve the number of cruisers that come, and improve the quality of their experience,” Flora says.
The building is designed to be more passenger-friendly and meets green standards in Hong Kong, featuring the largest rooftop garden in the city located on its third floor. The garden allows passengers to relax and take in the views of Victoria Harbour and the Hong Kong skyline when embarking or disembarking. In addition to the garden, the terminal will offer a variety of shops and restaurants.
As far as setting the scale in an international sense, the terminal has the largest gangways in the world, which enables it to take care of 3,000 passengers per hour. Flora adds that there is a strong interest from major cruise lines to bring ships to Hong Kong. “In the past we were at capacity constraint with ocean and cargo terminals, but now we have much more capability of taking care of major ships,” he says.
The new terminal will offer two berths—the first opening in June and the second opening a year later—which will give it the capability to berth two of the Oasis-class ships at once. With the rooftop garden, how quickly people can get on and off the ships, and the attractions at the terminal, Flora says, it makes the experience much better for cruisers.
“A key thing that cruisers want is a terrific destination experience, and Hong Kong is one of those cities that really offers that in a variety of ways.”
Hong Kong’s cultural offerings, dining and natural greenery are some of the highlights that attract visitors to the city. “With our new terminal, we now have an incredibly balanced experience with the terminal itself and the destination itself, which has the largest visitation count in all of Asia,” Flora says.
For more information, visit discoverhongkong.com.
