By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — The city wants international cruise passengers to spend more while here, but a program meant to guide visitors to “cruise-friendly” shops currently includes only five businesses.
Kaohsiung City Councilor Chang Po-yang (張博洋) said May 4 that the Marine Bureau’s (高雄市政府海洋局) Cruise-Friendly Shop program (友善郵輪旅客特色示範商家) is too limited to be useful for many travelers arriving at the Kaohsiung Port Cruise Terminal (高雄港旅運中心).
Cruise passengers often have only a few hours in the city before returning to their ships. Chang said that means shops need to be easy to identify, easy to reach, and ready to serve foreign visitors.
The current program helps selected businesses add English and Japanese signage, menus, and product labels, and supports mobile payment options. The Marine Bureau said the first shops were chosen for their local themes and storytelling value, including seafood, indigenous cuisine, traditional pastries, and craft culture.
Chang said the problem is that the five featured businesses are scattered across Kaohsiung, making them difficult for independent cruise passengers to visit during short shore stops. He said the city should first recruit businesses near the cruise terminal, MRT stations, Light Rail stops, and walkable tourist areas.
The Marine Bureau said it has created a “Kaohsiung Cruise” logo using a cruise ship silhouette and the Chinese character “Gao” (高). The logo will be used as a certification mark so visitors can recognize participating shops.
The bureau said future recruitment will focus on businesses near the MRT, Light Rail, and pedestrian routes. Officials said the goal is to create a “friendly consumption circle” that allows cruise passengers to find food, shopping, and local experiences without needing complicated travel plans.
