China to lead Asian cruise industry

Region promises 33 percent annual growth until the end of the decade, government says

China will become the Asia-Pacific region's largest cruise market by 2020, the government said. Some domestic operators are already digging for the industry's gold.

There will be 4.5 million cruise travelers in China by the end of the decade, representing 33 percent annual growth from 2013, according to a guidance of the Ministry of Transport on March 18.