The Largest Ship Since Opening of the Port, 'Costa Serena'
Efforts to Revitalize Cruise Tourism and Build Port Infrastructure
A large international cruise ship carrying 2,800 tourists departed from Yeongilman Port in Pohang City on the 5th, heading to Okinawa Port, Japan.
Following the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' ban on overseas cruise ships entering domestic ports, cruise arrivals have resumed after three full years, and large international cruises have started operating in Pohang as well.
Pohang operated a 50,000-ton cruise connecting Yeongilman Port and Vladivostok Port once in 2019, but it was suspended due to COVID-19. Since then, various initiatives have been undertaken to attract cruise ships, including hosting cruise forums, consultations with cruise companies and local travel agencies, and fam tours for metropolitan travel agencies to the Pohang area.
This departure was jointly promoted by Pohang City, Gyeongbuk Province, and Lotte JTB. The cruise ship is the Costa Serena, operated by Costa Cruises, and it is recorded as the largest vessel to have entered Yeongilman Port since its opening.
With a gross tonnage of 114,000 tons and a length of 290 meters, it is a large cruise ship with a maximum capacity of 3,740 passengers. It departed Yeongilman Port on the 5th and will operate a 6-night, 7-day itinerary, stopping at Okinawa, Miyakojima in Japan, and Keelung in Taiwan before returning to Korea.
Before the departure of the Costa Serena on the 5th, a send-off ceremony was held to celebrate the cruise's departure and welcome the tourists visiting Pohang.
At the ceremony, Captain Aita Orazio of the Costa Serena said, “Yeongilman Port has sufficient depth to accommodate large cruise ships, and the port is large and spacious, allowing for safe docking.”
Also, Francesco Raffa, Asia General Manager of Costa Cruises, visiting Pohang for the first time, evaluated, “Yeongilman Port is close to the city center and major tourist attractions, providing passengers with ample sightseeing time, and cruise crew members can also leisurely explore Pohang.”
The regional distribution of this cruise's tourists showed that 63% were from the metropolitan area, followed by 11% from Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, with visitors also coming from Jeju Island and overseas. By age group, 46% were in their 60s and 25% in their 70s. On the day, tourists visited Jukdo Market and major tourist sites, engaging in various consumption activities such as dining and purchasing local specialties.
Construction of the Yeongilman Port International Passenger Terminal is underway, aiming for completion in the first half of next year. To accommodate large numbers of tourists, the city has set up a temporary waiting facility at Yangdeok Hanmaeum Gymnasium and installed currency exchange booths, Pohang specialty product sales outlets, and rest facilities to minimize inconvenience for tourists.
Deputy Mayor Kim Nam-il said, “We are pleased that international cruise tourism at Yeongilman Port has resumed,” adding, “We will promptly build port infrastructure such as the international passenger terminal and gradually expand international cruise tourism at Yeongilman Port to lead to revitalization of the local economy.”
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