SHAH ALAM, Aug 5 — Selangor's cruise tourism industry is set for a major boost when Seatrade Cruise Asia, the region's leading cruise industry summit, is held in Malaysia for the first time from November 16 to 20.
The event, which has traditionally been hosted in Singapore, is expected to attract more than 600 representatives from international cruise lines and major industry players to the Port Klang Cruise Terminal (PKCT).
Tourism Selangor chief executive officer Chua Yee Ling said the first two days of the 2026 summit would be held in Kuala Lumpur before delegates travel to PKCT on the third day and board a cruise ship to Penang.
"To seize this opportunity to showcase Selangor to the global cruise industry, Tourism Selangor will organise a traditional cultural dance performance, a local marketplace, complimentary Malaysian coffee and food experiences at the terminal to leave a lasting impression on international buyers," she said.
Chua said Selangor's key advantage lies in PKCT's world-class cruise facilities, making it one of the few ports in Malaysia capable of accommodating large international cruise ships, alongside Port Klang, Penang, Langkawi and Johor.
She added that during a visit to the Seatrade Cruise Global exhibition in Miami earlier this year with Selangor executive councillor Ng Suee Lim, international cruise operators highlighted that authentic local cultural experiences were a major attraction for European and North American travellers.
As an example, Chua said the Pandanmaran New Village Story House in Banting had previously welcomed European cruise passengers, with its immersive cultural programmes receiving positive feedback.
Chua said Tourism Selangor would continue strengthening this segment by promoting more shore excursion packages to cruise operators, travel agencies and visitors, while improving transport connectivity and tourism products to reduce travel time between the cruise terminal and attractions.
Cross-agency collaboration needed
With the global cruise industry continuing to recover strongly, Chua said she remained optimistic about the sector's prospects and has set a target of increasing cruise arrivals by 5 per cent this year.
She also called for closer collaboration across government agencies to maximise the industry's economic potential.
During a recent visit to Adora Cruises headquarters in China, Chua said she was informed that only about 10 per cent of China's population had experienced cruise travel, indicating significant growth potential across Asia and globally.
However, she noted that Malaysia's cruise tourism promotion differs from neighbouring Singapore.
"In Singapore, cruise tourism is led by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), with promotion focused entirely on tourism and visitor experiences.
"In Malaysia, port development falls under the Transport Ministry and has traditionally focused on logistics and commercial shipping.
"To maximise the economic benefits of cruise tourism, Malaysia needs stronger collaboration between the Transport Ministry and the Tourism Ministry, together with local authorities and the private sector," she said.
Although it is difficult to quantify the exact increase in sales for individual businesses generated by cruise visitors, Chua said the positive spillover effects on restaurants, cultural attractions, souvenir businesses and transport services were evident.
She said Tourism Selangor would continue benchmarking against Singapore's successful cruise tourism model to enhance its services and strengthen Selangor's position as a key cruise hub in Southeast Asia.
