Cruise Shipping Asia — the most anticipated inaugural cruise industry event of 2011, brought to you by UBM Live, organizers of Cruise Shipping Miami, the world’s leading gathering of the Cruise Industry and jointly organized by UBM Asia, debuts in Singapore, November 16-18, 2011.

The exhibition and conference will be held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore, the Lion City. Themed the “Gateway to Tomorrow’s Marketplace,” it will combine a world-class trade show that will highlight Asia’s huge potential as a booming cruise market with a series of informative conference sessions.

“Cruise Shipping Asia in November is the ideal time and place for the cruise industry to capitalize on the new economic wealth that is coming out of that region,” said Michael Duck, senior vice president of UBM Asia. “With the new terminals, facilities and ports in Hong Kong and Singapore, combined with the fact that Asia is home to the fastest growing economy in the world, it opens up new possibilities and profit centers for the entire cruise industry.  We look forward to welcoming exhibitors and attendees looking to unlock the region’s vast growth potential.”

Cruise Shipping Asia will be the place for businesses interested in entering this next major cruise market or increasing their presence there.  Destination management companies, shore excursion and tour operators, port & terminal developers, shipbuilders, design & refurbishment companies, national tourism organizations, ship service and hotel operations providers, food & beverage suppliers, ground handlers, and airlines are targeted to participate in this inaugural event.

Exhibitors at the event include; Singapore Tourism Board, Sembawang Shipyard Private Ltd., Intercruises Shoreside and Port Services, the Ministry of Culture & Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, Inflot Worldwide, Penang Port SDN BHD, and Latitude 1 Maritime.

“This is not your Asia of Star Cruises 10 years ago,” said Michael Kazakoff vice president of UBM Live. “There has been incredible development and big investments in cruise tourism over the past years by the whole region; not only in port and terminal development but on the ship services side, with major initiatives from shipbuilding companies like Daewoo and Samsung to cruise ship refurbishment companies like Sembawang, who has just completed an upgrade program for their repair and refurbishment activities.  Add this to the fact that all the major cruise lines are sourcing goods from Asia for their own current new building programs in Europe, and it all creates an exciting and dynamic time to do business in the region.”

The conference program will feature panels of industry experts discussing the latest developments and opportunities in the Asian cruise market.  There will also be essential travel agent training organized by industry leaders to promote cruising as the next holiday option in Asia.

Topics to be covered during the conference include; the Asian State of the Cruise Industry; Destinations: Challenges & Opportunities in the Development of the Asian Cruise Industry; Shipbuilding, Repair & Refurbishment-the Asian Perspective; Terminal Design & Operations; Sourcing for Existing & Future Fleets in Asia; Shore Excursions & Port Services; Regulatory & Staffing Issues; Successfully Designing the Cruise Experience for the Asian Market; Identify Source Markets; and Marketing in the New Age.

Cruise Shipping Asia 2011 will bring together trade visitors from all sectors of the cruise industry including, cruise line owners & operators, tour operators, port and terminal planners, architects, financial institutions, brokers, IT operations representatives, food & beverage procurement professionals, travel itinerary planners, and procurement executives from leading cruise lines who have a presence or a strong interest in capitalizing on the opportunities in Asia.