Identifying the Causality and Criticality of Factors Influencing the Promotion of Asia Island-hopping Cruise Tourism in Taiwan

Authors

• Hsiao-Chuan Liu, Dept. of Shipping and Transportation Management, National Taiwan Ocean University.
• Gin-Shuh Liang, Dept. of Shipping and Transportation Management, National Taiwan Ocean University.
• Feng-Ming Tsai, Dept. of Shipping and Transportation Management, National Taiwan Ocean University;Follow
• Yu-Ling Lien, Dept. of Merchant Marine, National Taiwan Ocean University.

Abstract

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the global tourism industry has steadily recovered since 2022. Island-hopping cruises have gained increasing attention for enhancing regional connectivity and diversifying marine travel experiences; however, their development in Asia remains limited compared with that in Europe and the Caribbean due to fragmented policy coordination, inadequate port infrastructure, and uneven technological readiness. Although Taiwan possesses a geographic advantage and can serve as a strategic hub linking Asian island destinations, systematic planning and stakeholder coordination remain insufficient, resulting in unclear mechanisms that drive or constrain island-hopping cruise tourism. Existing studies mainly focus on market demand or passenger behavior, while limited attention has been paid to the system-level causal structure and critical driving factors. To address this research gap and corresponding industrial challenges, this study identifies the key influencing factors and their interrelations from Taiwan’s perspective using a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making approach integrating the Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (FDEMATEL) and an FDEMATEL-based Analytic Network Process (FDANP). The framework was established through political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal (PESTEL) analysis and validated using a modified Delphi method. The results indicate that political and technological dimensions are core causal drivers, while government-driven policies for cruise industry development represent the most critical criterion. This study elucidates the causal structure among factors and provides actionable implications for policymakers to strengthen policy integration, enhance technological innovation, and promote sustainable island-hopping cruise tourism in Asia, with Taiwan serving as a strategic reference context rather than representing the entire Asia-Pacific region.

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Recommended Citation

Liu, Hsiao-Chuan; Liang, Gin-Shuh; Tsai, Feng-Ming; and Lien, Yu-Ling (2026) "Identifying the Causality and Criticality of Factors Influencing the Promotion of Asia Island-hopping Cruise Tourism in Taiwan," Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan: Vol. 34: Iss. 3, Article 9.
DOI: 10.51400/2709-6998.2825
Available at: https://jmstt.ntou.edu.tw/journal/vol34/iss3/9