Hong Kong’s first-ever cruise and yachting event, the International Cruise and Yachting Festival (ICYF) 2018 will be hosted at the China Merchants Wharf and the Hong Kong Maritime Museum in November.

The Festival is to be held from 22 to 25 November and aims to bring together global cruise and yacht brands and boats. The event features cruising and yachting, maritime lifestyle, marine and leisure tourism, as well as education and employment.

With the aim of promoting public understanding of Hong Kong’s waters and the sustainable development of the industry in the south China region, the event will include exhibitions, forums, conferences and maritime-themed activities.

Organised by the Hong Kong Cruise & Yacht Industry Association (HKCYIA), with the support of the China Cruise & Yacht Industry Association (CCYIA) and the China Merchants Group (CMG), this is the first event to be held in Hong Kong’s city centre. The four-day festival will highlight the beauty of Victoria Harbour with a multi-perspective presentation of maritime activities on both sides of the harbour, including the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the China Merchants Wharf in Western and the Hong Kong Maritime Museum (Central Ferry Piers).

The CCYIA has been a long-time partner of the China Communications and Transportation Association (CCTA), having helped global brands enter the China and Hong Kong markets. The CMG, which operates 53 ports in 20 countries and districts, is one of China’s leading maritime services group and is listed in the Fortune Global 500 list.

With the support of the CCYIA and CMG, the festival is expected to gain the support of the maritime services industry by providing a platform for sustainable growth and business development. This will also be in line with the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Project which is designed to explore and develop the market opportunities arising from the increasing links between China and Hong Kong with the global maritime industry.

“The economy will be further entwined with the maritime industry”

Kara Yeung, HKCYIA executive director, said “With its unique venues on both sides of the harbour, the Festival will become a propeller for Hong Kong’s future developments as the economy will be further entwined with the maritime industry. With the emergence of opportunities that will be available under the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the rapid development of global cruise and yacht industry, the ICYF is expected to help promote Hong Kong’s economy in another perspective, covering leisure tourism, shipping and logistics, retail and shopping, finance and insurance.”

The additional venues will provide the much-needed space to enable participants can showcase their products and services in convenient and natural settings along the harbourfront, she said.

To promote Hong Kong’s natural coastal setting and its many islands, the festival is also aimed at promoting Hong Kong as a destination for island tin southern China. During the Festival, the organiser has plans to provide shuttle ferries to provide visitors with a direct encounter with the experiences available at sea.