First tranche of speakers announced for Seatrade Cruise Asia 2024

Resorts World Cruises’ Michael Goh, Tim Jones of Celebrity Cruises’ Australia & APAC, Olivero Morelli from MSC Cruises’ Japan & Korea,  Mitsui Ocean Cruises’ Tsunemischi Mukai, TUI Cruises’ Marcus Puttich, AIDA Cruises’  Sandra Neffgen, Royal Caribbean Group’s Ana Karina Santini, and Holland America Line’s Eric Visser are among the first tranche of cruise line speakers announced for the event running between November 12-13, 2024 at the Shangri-La, The Fort hotel and co-located with Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global.

Also confirmed, CLIA Australasia md Joel Katz, as well as Kai Tak Cruise Terminal’s Jeff Bent, Dickson Chin md Wallem Ship Agency, Korea International Cruise Institute & Secretary General Bok Soon Leem and Jacqueline Ng, director, cruise, Singapore Tourism Board.

Confirmed speaker lineup

Day 1, November 12

Here is a snap shot of some of the conference sessions on November 12:

The State of the Asian Cruise Industry Keynote session returns between 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM and will  dive into the latest trends shaping the future of cruising in Asia. Speakers for this session will be revealed soon.

Cruise Tourism Developments in Southeast Asia

As Asia reopened for cruise operations in 2023, Southeast Asia demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth. The region accounted for a significant portion of cruise calls in Asia in 2023-24, with countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam all recording passenger levels surpassing pre-pandemic figures. This session will delve into the successes driving this resurgence, focusing on key destinations in Southeast Asia.

Day 2, November 13

Resumption of Cruise Operations in East Asia

This session will focus on the revival of cruise operations in East Asia since 2023, highlighting both successes and ongoing challenges. We’ll celebrate the positive developments, such as the return of international deployments and the resumption of homeporting in East Asia. The session will also address emerging domestic cruise lines becoming major players. We’ll explore the outlook for both regional and international deployments in the coming years and the implications for cruise lines and customers.

Developing Destination Experiences in Emerging Destinations

This session will explore the complexities of developing successful and sustainable destination experiences in Asia's emerging cruise hotspots, with a strong emphasis on destination stewardship. Participants will learn how to design shore programs that align with sustainable growth, preserving the cultural and environmental integrity of these areas. The session will also provide insights into the varying needs of cruise lines across different source markets, helping destinations tailor their offerings to meet diverse expectations. Collaboration with local stakeholders is key, and this session will highlight effective strategies for working with communities, DMCs, and other partners to prepare for cruise guests, fostering positive

Full Conference programme

Registration information is online