Authorities in Tianjin are pointing to a regional integration strategy as one of the factors behind a sharp rise in the demand for cruise tours out of the city.

Yang Liu with the Dongjiang Free Trade Zone at the Port of Tianjin says they've seen a significant upswing in tourists heading out of Tianjin on cruises.

"This is the home port for cruise ships. It mostly serves customers in the northern China area and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region in particular. Tourists coming here are mainly from this area. Over the past year, our cruise business has expanded by 50 percent, and the tourist numbers have surpassed that, increasing by some 60 percent," said Yang Liu.

Over the past decade, major cruise lines have begun making Tianjin a base for tours to and from the capital region.

Most of the world's largest cruise lines, including Princess, Celebrity and Regent now run regular tours out of Tianjin.

Currently, more international cruise companies are eyeing the market in Tianjing, with an estimated 243 luxurious cruise ships to harbor at the city's home port, up 74% from the previous year.

For the next steps, the municipal authorities are planning to tap into Tianjin's food shipment potential by making the city a global hub for food procurement.