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SINGAPORE : The upcoming cruise terminal in Marina South is drawing a lot of attention from industry players.
With the appointment of the new terminal operator expected by the third quarter of this year, some in the industry are wondering if they could have a piece of the pie.
Cruising is becoming more popular nowadays. And with the new cruise terminal scheduled to be up by 2010, Singapore is expected to double its capacity to cope with the increasing number of cruise passengers.
But industry players are wondering who the new terminal operator will be. According to them, one likely contender is the Singapore Cruise Centre - which is currently operating Singapore's cruise terminal at HarbourFront.
Cheong Teow Cheng, President, Singapore Cruise Centre, said: "We want to do our best and be recognised as the cruise terminal operator of choice, so hopefully whatever we do, for example, upgrading the current terminal, would put us in good stead when the tender for the new operator is out."
The Singapore Tourism Board is expected to announce its decision by the third quarter this year.
Some industry players, like cruise liners, said they are open to opportunities to be involved in the running of the new cruise centre.
Dario Rustico, Director, Sales and Marketing, Costa Crociere, said: "It is important to involve cruise operators in managing the terminal, because they can bring their expertise and experience from all over the world."
Jackson Loy, VP, Sales and Marketing, Star Cruises, said: "If it's not the Singapore Cruise Centre operating it, then probably some joint venture between operators of cruise lines, cruise liners, cruise line operators themselves together with shipping related enterprises. It could be a joint venture."
The new terminal will help Singapore achieve its target of 17 million visitor arrivals by 2015. - CNA/ms
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