Study on Location Choice for Cruise Entry Port Development in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Lu, Chiang-Chuan, 呂江泉
• Other Authors: Lee, Ming-Huei
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/21036010793206060967

博士 === 中國文化大學 === 地學研究所 === 96 === Abstract Focus on the newly-entered cruise market in the Asia Pacific area, this study attempts to exam the significant differences caused by the various cruise voyage, geographical region, tourists need, in a hope to develop the modes of cruise location choice and the location choice strategy in developing a cruise entry port in Taiwan. Assisted by the AHP and SPSS software, some on-site survey, case study, in-depth interview, and AHP analysis methods will be employed. Cruise Line International Association Statistics (CLIA, 2000) showed that there has had at least 10% growth annually in the cruise industry during the 1990s, and the main cruise destinations were concentrated in Mediterranean, Caribbean and Alaskan area, and the cruisers were mostly came from the western world as well. In the beginning of 21st century, the Asian Pacific includes Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai has just entered the field of cruise market, while the popularity of cruising in the European and American market has reached as high as ten million numbered cruisers annually. Whereas industry grows and the “Cross-Taiwan-Strait Three Links” direct transport is ready on its way, it is imperative that more efforts should be made to properly identify the marketing position before further promoting the cruise tour product. This study selects the world well-known cruise lines -Holland America Cruises, Star Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, NYK, Mitsui OSK, as well as the “Love Boat” Princess Cruises, and their sales agencies and passengers as the sample. The aim of this study is to preliminary build up the location choice strategy on developing a cruise entry port in Taiwan, and hopefully to also provide some improvement methods concerning cruise location choice, market position and marketing strategy in the future. It is found that over 50% of the cruisers recognized the “fine cuisine” and “natural attraction” as two most attractive tourism resources in Taiwan, while “newspaper and magazine” are the most selective sources of media. With inadequate infrastructure, the four international seaports in Taiwan, Keelung, Taichung, Kaohsiung, and Hualien equally located at four corners of the island, are basically all eligible be chosen as a destination port of the cruse ships. Adopted with the AHP research method, this study found that the influential aim of “location choice for cruise entry port development in Taiwan” ranged as “regional traffic condition” the most, followed by “cruise industrial environment”, and the “port infrastructural facilities” considerably less influential. Kaohsiung Port is considered as the best cruise entry port in Taiwan, followed by Keelung, Hualien, and Taichung Port considered lesser potential to develop as a cruise entry port. Eventually, this study attempt to suggest that some stage by stage infrastructural enhancement and improvement methods for the port of Kaohsiung and Keelung, such as their cruise centers, surrounding landscape, regional traffic packages, CIQ procedures, manpower, and the international marketing, must be made urgently in the near future. Keywords: Cruise Geography, Entry Port, Location Choice, AHP