This collaboration commenced last month with a series of marketing campaigns promoting Princess Cruises’ sailings not just in Asia, but also further afield in Australia, United Kingdom and the United States. The Asian countries earmarked are China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Taiwan.

With a low penetration of cruising in Asia, the press release said there is a huge potential for cruise companies to grow in this region by developing new passenger source markets. Cruise lines that are looking to begin or extend sailings out of Singapore will benefit by working with CAG and STB.

Jan Swartz, President of Princess said: “Princess Cruises is proud to be a partner of CAG and STB. We are confident that this collaboration will complement our expansion efforts in Asia and we look forward to developing the regional cruise market through continued investment in our people and resources.”

Further strengthening this collaboration is Changi Airport’s strong connectivity to 270 cities worldwide, combined with some 6,600 weekly flights, giving Singapore a strategic advantage to effectively tap fly-cruise traffic from across the globe and serve as a cruise hub for Asia.

Since 2012, CAG and STB have been partnering with cruise lines on initiatives to anchor more ships in Singapore. In September 2012, CAG and STB jointly supported Costa Cruises on a multi-million dollar collaboration to deploy more ships and to market the cruise ships within Asia Pacific. In the first year of collaboration, Costa received support to intensify marketing efforts to Asian consumers, yielding positive results, recording 5,000 Asian cruise passengers flying through Changi Airport and spending time in Singapore before and after their cruises.

In tandem, CAG has also been actively collaborating with airlines and travel agents on marketing campaigns to promote fly-cruise packages in markets such as China and India.

Lim Ching Kiat, CAG’s senior vice president for market development, said: “Changi Airport Group welcomes this opportunity to partner with STB to grow passenger source markets in Asia and heighten awareness of cruising as a desired travel option. This second collaboration with the Carnival Corporation’s group of cruise brands further highlights our synergistic efforts to grow the fly-cruise segment in Singapore.”

As a champion for the Singapore cruise industry, STB is also committed to helping cruise stakeholders succeed. For example, market research indicated that many Asian consumers have low awareness but high receptivity towards cruising. Given that the majority of cruise bookings are made through travel agents, a training program for travel agents across Southeast Asia was launched in 2013, led by the Asia Cruise Association and facilitated by STB.

“Through this complementary partnership, STB and CAG will work together to promote the concept of flying into Singapore to cruise. We are excited that Princess has come on board, and look forward to more cruise lines joining us in tapping on the immense potential of cruising in Southeast Asia,” commented Neeta Lachmandas, assistant chief executive, Business Development Group, Singapore Tourism Board.