Seatrade Cruise Asia 2024 to take place in Manila, the Philippines

Seatrade Cruise Asia 2024 will take place in Manila in the Philippines from November 12-13, and will co-locate with Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global – the premier gathering for professionals in marine crewing and seafarer welfare – at Shangri-La The Fort. 

‘These are exciting times for cruising in Asia as more ships are being deployed throughout the region, source markets expanding and the return of homeporting operations from mainland China,’ said Mary Bond, group director, Seatrade Cruise.

‘The opportunities for cruise lines, ports, destinations, service providers and suppliers are palpable,’ she added. 

Follows success of 2023 event in Hong Kong

Last year’s Seatrade Cruise Asia event – which returned after a four-year hiatus – was held in Hong Kong and attended by more than 300 people from 27 countries, including 50 cruise line executives. Its theme, ‘Rebuilding Asia Cruising Together,’ focused on collaboration as momentum for Asia's cruising market rebound and saw discussion around plans for the serial construction of domestic, large-scale cruise ships, and ambitions to promote the application of clean energy. 

Meanwhile, the Asia Cruise Cooperation network announced during the 2023 event that it would enhance the visibility of its members, creating opportunities for partners to appear on cruise itineraries and offering something new to the market, while Singapore and India were recognised as the source markets impacting Southeast Asia’s cruise revival.

Attendees were also invited to experience the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, before a familiarisation trip hosted by Hong Kong Tourism Board concluded the 2023 programme. 

State of the Asian Cruise Industry 

The event in Manila will feature a table-top exhibition and conference, bringing together key cruise and tourism leaders and stakeholders from the international and regional community to discuss various topics. The ‘State of the Asian Cruise Industry’ will feature, while the tenacity of the Asia cruise sector, expansion of cruise operations throughout the region and sustainable development will be explored. 

Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global 

Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global will bring together prominent figures from the shipping industry to address the pressing issues, trends, and challenges facing seafarers worldwide. With a comprehensive three-day conference and a Supplier Showcase Expo, attendees can expect to explore the latest advancements in recruitment, training, wellbeing, technology, satellite, and onboard management services.

Chris Morley, group director, Seatrade Maritime explained,  ‘As major global disruptions and increased sustainability pressure continue to pose new challenges to both the seafarer of today and tomorrow, we believe the co-location of Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global and Seatrade Cruise Asia is a timely opportunity that will truly benefit both the general maritime and cruise industry.’ 

Bond and Morley concluded, ‘We’re excited by the potential impact of this collaboration and look forward to welcoming attendees to Manila later this year.’