China Sees 40% Surge in Cruise Passenger Throughput and Marine Tourism Growth in H1 2025

China’s Ministry of Natural Resources has reported a significant increase in cruise passenger traffic, with a 40.1% year-on-year rise during the first half of 2025. This growth highlights the revival of China’s domestic marine tourism sector, which has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels.

In this period, the added value of marine tourism reached 771.8 billion yuan (around US$108 billion), marking an 8% growth compared to last year. This impressive performance is attributed to several factors including favorable policies, an expansion of cruise vessels and ports, as well as increased domestic travel demand. Analysts have pointed out that coordinated port developments, relaxed visa regulations for cruise groups, and incentive programs for cruise operators have collectively improved supply and fuelled growth across the industry.

China’s gross ocean product (GOP), which encompasses various maritime sectors such as fisheries, shipping, offshore energy, and marine recreation, also saw a growth of 5.8% reaching 5.1 trillion yuan. Notably, the marine tourism sector has shown even faster growth than other areas, indicating its crucial role in revitalizing the maritime economy post-pandemic.

To support this booming tourism sector, authorities have swiftly approved the allocation of 167,000 hectares of marine and island areas in the first half of the year. This includes plans for new cruise terminals and yacht berths, enhancing infrastructure for sustained tourism growth. Data reflects positive trends in sea freight, shipbuilding, offshore wind energy, and aquatic farming, benefitting from conservation and investment initiatives.

Looking ahead, the Ministry forecasts continued growth of marine tourism through the summer and into the autumn season as domestic leisure travel peaks. This anticipated surge signifies a major transition in areas such as vessel deployment and capacity planning—confirming the expanding cruise industry as a stable component of China’s coastal economic landscape.

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