One million tourists from the Chinese mainland will travel overseas on cruise ships in 2011, a rise of 26.58 percent on last year, according to forecasts from the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association (CCYIA) on Friday.

"The cruise-ship business in China has already entered a stage of rapid development," said Zheng Weihang, secretary general of the CCYIA.

The sixth China Cruise Shipping Exposition will be held between Oct 15 and 17 in Tianjin, which will be the first time the northern port city has hosted the event.