The Adora Magic City, China's first homegrown large cruise ship, will embark on a tour of Chinese port cities this year, starting with its maiden voyage from the eastern city of Qingdao in April, the brand Adora Cruises announced on Thursday.
The cruise ship will depart from the Qingdao International Cruise Port on April 6, the first trip a Adora Magic City ship sails from outside Shanghai.
The vessel will then operate two consecutive four-night, five-day international cruise itineraries covering Fukuoka of Japan, and Jeju of South Korea.
The brand's second homegrown large cruise ship, the Adora Flora City, is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2026. It will then begin its international routes from Nansha District of Guangzhou City in south China.
Adora Cruises' current two operational large cruise ships, the Adora Magic City and the Adora Mediterranean, started commercial trips in China since Jan 1, 2024 and Sept 30, 2023, respectively. To date, they have served nearly 500,000 domestic and international passengers, receiving widespread acclaim.
China's first large cruise ship to embark on domestic port city tour
Construction and exhibition setup across all eight halls of the main venue of the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) are in the final sprint in Haikou, capital city of south China's Hainan Province.
The expo will be held from April 13 to 18.
At the exhibition halls, staff are busy arranging exhibits and testing interactive installations. All setup work is set to be completed by Sunday, ready to welcome global exhibitors and buyers.
"My expectation is to meet somebody that would like to understand what we propose. I think [it] could mean more opportunities to come in China, especially in Hainan because the government want to import product and facilitate us to come here without any tax," said an exhibitor from Italy.
"This time, we are bringing eight brands to make their debut at the expo. We will also sign agreements with pet brands to enrich the category of duty-free pet products available for travelers," said Hou Xiaofei, marketing director of Haikou GDF Plaza.
The main venue features eight exhibition halls. Hall 4 is dedicated to global specialty consumer goods. It showcases premium products from 22 countries and regions including Canada, Switzerland, and Italy.
"With the 'fast-track' green channel, Chinese consumers can quickly access authentic Italian products," said Chen Meiqi, vice chair of Salotto Italia-Cina (Italy-China Lounge).
This year's expo will see national pavilion debuts from multiple countries such as Russia and Bulgaria.
The expo continues to embrace a green and low-carbon approach, promoting sustainable practices in construction and event operations.
"These structures are made of recyclable materials. After use, they can be recycled and reused," said Sun Zhili, on-site operations manager of the expo.
The total exhibition area reaches 143,000 square meters, an increase of 13,000 square meters compared with the previous edition.
More than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions are expected to participate, with international brands accounting for 65 percent of the total.
Preparations for main venue of consumer products expo in final sprint
