Just prior to launching a cruise expedition from its hub in Piraeus to the Greek islands, Celestyal Cruises welcomed a group of 250 travelers from China aboard the Celestyal Olympia hosted by Celestyal CEO Kyriakos Anastassiadis.

Led by Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) S.A. CEO Capt. Fu Chengqiu, the delegation attended a brief presentation during which PPA awarded a plaque to Celestyal Cruises in acknowledgement of its contribution to the industry.

"We cordially thank Celestyal Cruises for the productive cooperation and trust in the port of Piraeus,” Chengqiu said in a press release. “The development of Piraeus as a cruise port is very important for … local and national economy. For this reason, we are planning to upgrade the cruise infrastructure and services to emerge the great potential of the Piraeus port."

Over 650,000 passengers have booked passage in the last half-decade, and the Chinese cruise market is currently of particular interest to the industry, according to the release. The movement to strengthen the tourist industry has won support from state institutions.

Piraeus is the largest port in Greece and ranks among the largest ports in the Mediterranean Sea. Celestyal Cruises uses Piraeus as a cruise home port.