(Yicai) May 23 -- The Chinese market of cruise tourism will benefit from a policy boost and fully recover this year or next year, an official said, citing a prediction by the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association.

Cruise tourism has rapidly recovered, expanding to new routes such as Southeast Asia besides the traditional routes of rivers, coastal areas, and trips to Japan or South Korea, Huo Fupeng, department director at the National Development and Reform Commission, a macroeconomic management agency, said during a press conference yesterday. Since the beginning of this year, 21 international cruise ships have started operations at Chinese ports, he added.

China will implement new policies from June 1 to refine its regulations for international cruise ships on resupply, supply channels of medicines, medical devices, and duty-free tobacco products, as well as customs facilitation, and legal obligations.

The nation's biggest domestically produced cruise ship called Adora Magic City embarked on its maiden voyage on Jan. 1 but due to unclear policies and incomplete support, issues such as resupply problems have risen, Wang Zhenjiang, deputy justice minister, said during the press conference.

It is necessary to improve system norms through legislation to promote the sustained, healthy, and high-quality development of China's cruise economy, Wang added.

China's layout of cruise ports is gradually improving, with 13 homeports planned and built from north to south, from Dalian to Sanya, enhancing the capacity to receive domestic and foreign cruise ships, Huo said.

Since the resumption of international cruises in September, passenger traffic exceeded 107,000 person-times that year, Huo said, adding that in the first quarter, it surpassed 190,000 person-times.

Editor: Emmi Laine