BEIJING, Nov. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 28, HNA Tourism Cruise and Yacht Management Co., Ltd, the first cruise ship and yacht management company in mainland China, held its founding and promotion conference at HNA Marriot Hotel in Beijing. By unveiling the mainland's largest luxury cruise ship, "Henna", HNA Tourism, a local Chinese brand, is poised to lead the domestic cruise industry.

(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/2012/11/26/20121126180754937515.jpg )

"Henna" has a length of 223m, a width of 31m and 739 rooms for 1,965 passengers, as well as a complete range of facilities for living and entertainment. On January 26, 2013, "Henna" will debut with the Sanya-Ha Long Bay-Da Nang route. Also, "Island Construction I", which is China's largest luxury yacht at 161 feet in length, is under the ownership of Sanya Artemis Yacht Entertainment Co., Ltd, another subsidiary of HNA Tourism.

Mr. Zhang Hao, President of HNA Tourism Cruise and Yacht Management, said, "The cruise industry has great potential while the market is anticipated to be quite large. It is just starting out but is developing at a rapid speed in mainland China, including ancillary facilities and port construction."

Since 1980, annual cruise industry growth rate has reached 8.2%, which much stronger than the international tourism industry's 4% growth rate. In 2011, Mainland China received 262 international cruise ships, an increase of 17.5% year on year, and 504,582 cruise traveler arrivals. The global cruise market is shifting its focus to the Orient, among which China and surrounding areas will enjoy the fastest development.

About HNA Tourism Cruise and Yacht Management Co., Ltd.

As the first Chinese cruise and yacht company with a self-owned luxury cruise ship, the establishment of HNA Tourism Cruise and Yacht Management and the debut of "Henna" will help to increase local competitiveness in the Chinese market. The competition between domestic and overseas companies will act as a catalyst for further development of the Chinese cruise industry.

Cruise route design is mainly based on short-term needs and short distance tours, with Sanya and Tianjin serving as home ports and Vietnam and South Korea as destinations. So far, the company has maintained a mainly localized operation with more focus on Chinese customers. For more information about cruise itineraries and the company, please call (86) 9507 1888 or visit our official website, www.hnacruises.com.

SOURCE HNA Group