OREANDA-NEWS. March 20, 2013. The opening of Hong Kong's new Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in June will herald a new chapter in the city's maritime history and enhance its status as one of Asia's leading cruise hubs and tourism destinations.

The new terminal is situated on the site of the runway of Hong Kong's former Kai Tak Airport and cost USD1 billion.

The terminal will feature two berths, with the first opening in June and the second in mid- 2014.

Each berth will be able to accommodate the biggest cruise vessels in the world, while the three-storey terminal building will be able to clear 3,000 passengers per hour through immigration and customs.

The new facility, combined with the city's airport and its unrivalled connectivity to Asia, will enable cruise companies to develop new itineraries using Hong Kong as a launching point for fly-cruise itineraries, as well as, a possible home port and port-of-call.

Last year, around one in 10 of the 20 million passengers who embarked on a cruise was from Asia, with experts predicting this number to rise steadily, reaching seven million by 2020 as more people in the region take to the idea of travelling on the seas.

Of these, up to two million cruise passengers are expected to come from mainland China, already the world's fastest growing outboard tourism market, accounting for 80 million of the world's one billion international tourists last year.

According to Mr Kenneth Wong, Hong Kong Tourism Board's general manager of MICE and Cruise, the new terminal will further enhance Hong Kong's appeal as a destination and give arriving guests a stunning first impression of an exciting port of call.