Hangzhou (CNS) -- Zhoushan Tourism Association and the Wenzhou Private Capital Investment Service Center signed a cooperation agreement to build the first private cruise fleet in Chinese mainland during the World Zhejiang Entrepreneurs Convention held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday.
The project, totaling two billion yuan, will be based in Zhoushan, a coastal city of eastern Zhejiang, said Li Jianping, head of the service center.
During the Phase I project, 500 million yuan will be invested on a luxury cruise named "China Star." Fixed routes from the Zhoushan base to the Keelung and Taichung ports in Taiwan are under plan.
The investment service center, founded by the Zhejiang Federation of Private Enterprise Investment, the Wenzhou Economist Association and the Wenzhou Entrepreneur Association, is actually run by over ten private business owners from Wenzhou, a city known for its entrepreneurs.
"We are aggregating capitals from individual businessmen and investing in projects with huge potentials," said Li. The decision to target marine economy shows the faith of these entrepreneurs in marine tourism, he added.
The 12-floor "China Star," 131.2 meters long and 32 meters wide, houses 172 guests and can serve more than 400.
Four to five international cruises are in the pipeline, and international routes to Korea, Japan and Russia will be opened, said Li. By then, Zhoushan is expected to be China's hub for international cruises, he said.
