Australia is preparing to welcome dozens of international cruise ships over another busy summer cruise season, delivering billions of dollars in economic contribution to ports and destinations around the country.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz said a total of 63 ships would operate in local waters between October and April, bringing hundreds of thousands of passengers to every coastal state and territory.

“The popularity of cruising continues to grow worldwide, and Australia is undoubtedly one of the world’s most spectacular cruise destinations,” Mr Katz said.

“The summer ahead will offer an incredible diversity of experiences aboard some of the world’s most spectacular ships.”

CLIA will today host around 850 delegates at its 10th Cruise360 Australasia conference in Brisbane, bringing together cruise lines, travel agents and industry stakeholders to discuss the latest trends in cruising.

More than 30 speakers and panellists will take part, including the biggest contingent of international guests to ever take part in Cruise360 Australasia.

Mr Katz said the coming summer would see a continuation of recent trends among cruise fans, including an increase in younger guests and first-time cruisers.

“Internationally, the average age of a cruise guest is now just 46.5 years, and more than a third of cruisers are aged under 40,” Mr Katz said.

“Gen-X and Millennials are now the most enthusiastic cruisers, showing a stronger intention to cruise than their Babyboomer counterparts. We are also seeing increasing numbers of new-to-cruise guests – about 31 per cent of cruisers over the past two years have been first-time guests, up from 24 per cent in 2019.”

Among trends to be discussed at Cruise360 Australasia this year are the current growth in luxury cruising, the increasing popularity of expedition cruising, the diversity of experiences available in river cruising, and the emergence of Gen Z as the next major cruise market.

A total of 24 CLIA cruise lines will operate ships in Australian waters during the coming season.