Local lawmakers have given their approval to a plan to build China's first luxury cruise liner fleet in a renewed bid to boost the city's tourism industry.

Shenzhen Zhongda Liner Company will build the fleet, which will consist of three cruise liners, with a total investment of 1.6 billion yuan (US 193 million) within two years.

The company says its plan has been approved by the Municipal People's Congress, and in fact has been listed as one of the major construction projects in Shenzhen this year.

The company eventually plans to have three luxury liners, with displacements of 25,000, 15,000 and7,717tons respectively, it said. Apart from the Jia Ri Holiday cruise liner with a displacement of 7,717 tons, which went into operation earlier this year, the company will invite a European shipbuilder to construct the largest liner, which can hold 1,000 passengers, and lease the second largest one, which can hold 800 passengers, before the end of this year.

As the Jia Ri liner has already cost the company over 100 million yuan, it plans to borrow long term, low interest loans from foreign banks to cover the remaining investment of 1.5 billion yuan.

The company said it had already sent representatives to Germany to lease a long range liner, which will eventually be bought outright by the company construction of the largest liner will be completed within two years, the firm said.

Analysts say the local economy will likely get a boost from the tourist income generated by the fleet, which is expected to serve upscale tourists. The fleet is also expected to spur the local tourism industry which is now largely supported by an array of theme parks in the city.

The Jia Ri is known as China's first modern luxury liner. Since its maiden voyage Jan.9, the liner has been operating on a daily basis. After leaving Shekou Port, the ship cruises along Hong Kong's New Territories, steams under the famous Tsing Ma Bridge, circles Lantau Island and anchors in the Lingding Sea just south of Shenzhen for the night.

The company belongs to the Zhongda Group, a conglomerate with interests in real estate, hightech industries, finance and tourism with total assets of over 3 billion yuan.

Editor: Weiwei