Costa Crociere S.p.A., one of the world's leading cruise companies, announced Monday the establishment of its Asia-pacific headquarters in Hong Kong in order to meet the rapidly growing cruise market in this region.

Costa, an Italian subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise operator, also celebrated the maiden call of its contemporary cruise liner, Costa Allegra, in Hong Kong.

"According to a recent report published by the London-based independent economic consultancy, Ocean Shipping Consultants, the cruise market in the Asia-Pacific region is set for substantial growth," President of Costa Crociere Giovanni Onorato said, adding that the number of cruise passengers, estimated at one million in 2005, is expected to reach 1.5 million by 2010.

To fully capitalize on the tremendous opportunities in the region, the company chose Hong Kong, one of China's major tourist destinations with an excellent tourism and transportation infrastructure, as the location for its Asia-Pacific regional headquarters, Onorato said.

He pointed out the headquarters will set about furthering Costa's business development in Asia by offering customers in more than 10 countries in the region cruises on the entire Costa fleet, Europe's most advanced, from the Mediterranean Sea to Northern Europe and from the Caribbean to South America.

Costa Allegra, a 28,500-ton cruise ship with a capacity of 1, 000 guests and 399 cabins, entered service in 1992. Before starting its summer cruises in Asia, it has undergone a 12 million euros refurbishment to reposition it for the Chinese market, Onorato said.

He also announced that Costa Allegra, after its summer program out of Shanghai (July 3 till the end of October) comes to an end, will use Hong Kong as its seasonal homeport from November 2, 2006 till the end of April 2007 to target vacationers from the Chinese mainland and the rest of Asia Pacific.

(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2006)