The new head of the Asia
Cruise Association has big plans
to boost agent cruise training
and to introduce new itineraries.
In an exclusive interview with Cruise Weekly,
Kevin Leong, appointed this month as ACA’s
first full-time general manager, has outlined his
vision for Asian cruising.
His top priority is to address the lack of
“cruise qualified” staff in Asian travel agencies
through greater training opportunities across
the region.
“The practice to date had been to use
existing events like Cruise Shipping Asia and
Seatrade All Asia Cruise Convention to organise
training sessions for travel agent attendees,”
Leong said.
“This will continue but I will be planning a
more comprehensive training schedule that
would provide regular training sessions in
various cities all over Asia.”
ACA’s training would equip agents to sell
cruises all over the world, not only in Asia, he
confirmed.
“I believe once we’ve introduced Asians to
the joys of cruising, we’ll not be able to keep
them in the region.
“Asia will become a major source market also
for the other cruise regions in the world.”
Leong’s other major focus is the promotion
of Asia’s port development, with a view to
expand the range of itineraries to include calls
at more islands, coastal cities and towns.
“Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand
have expressed interest in receiving more
cruise ships,” he said.
“In north Asia, the Chinese have been very
proactive in building cruise terminals, and
Hong Kong will open theirs next year.
“I would like to see two or three new
itineraries from Singapore to around
Indonesia, longer ones from Malaysia to
Vietnam via Thailand or Cambodia, itineraries
that would connect the Philippines to East
Malaysia, and so on.
“Also, cruises from Hong Kong to Vietnam
might help to extend the summer season in
North Asia,” he said.
Leong, a former chair of the ASEAN Cruise
Working Group who spent 36 years with the
Singapore Tourism Board, including six years in
the Sydney office, said it would be
“wonderful” to see more cruising between
Asia and Australia.
“It may take some time, during which we will
be working on expanding the numbers of ports
of call within South East Asia, but the
Indonesians are already keen to link up with
Australia from Bali, and when that happens,
cruise traffic to and fro will be a reality.”
