Symposia on Chinese inland and offshore cruise development in 2014 was held on the Oriental Pearl Tower, Huangpu River Cruise. The symposia was hosted by Shanghai Advanced Institute of International Shipping and Shaghai Water Tourism Promotion Center, at which Vice president of SMU Xiao Baojia was present, together with leaders from some relevant units like the Water Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Transport, Shanghai Municipal Tourism Bureau, Shanghai Municipal Transportation Committee, Shanghai International Shipping Center Development and Promotion Organization as well as leading officials from some big domestic cruise companies. Xu Peixing, managing director of Shanghai Water Tourism Promotion Center and Wu Wei, general manager of China Merchants Shenzhen Xunlong Shipping Co., Ltd. hosted the symposia together.

Wang Mingzhi, vice president of the Water Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Transport introduced the situation of cruise industry in China. He said promoting cruise economic development is one of the significant jobs in the shipping industry management of the Ministry of Transport. The Ministry of Transport has released Guideline on promoting the sustainable and healthy development of domestic cruise industry, which clarifies the orientation of the development of cruise industry in the future. Undoubtedly, it will play an active part in the development of our country’s cruise industry.

Vice President Xiao Baojia pointed out Shanghai Maritime University initiated the Cruise EMBA Project, which has proved its potential and prospects of cruise industry. He also said that SMU will actively put forward more beneficial ideas, educate more professional talents and make more contributions to the development of cruise industry.

At the symposia, students of cruise EMBA as well as people present held a heated discussion on the present situation, problems and polices of cruise development in China.