Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com 19 ITB ASIA Official Dailies | produCt: Cruise Australians are cruising in record numbers – and the popularity of cruise destinations in Asia is surging like never before. As cruise ship capacity expands Australian passenger numbers to Asia lifted 28% to a record 44,382 last year. The Australian cruise industry is now ranked number one in the world for market growth and penetration, with latest industry figures revealing 833,348 Australians took a cruise in 2013. The 2013 Cruise industry Source Market Report shows Australian cruise passenger numbers soared gonE CRUiSing: AUSTRALiAnS SAiL AWAY in RECoRd nUMBERS By ian Jarrett market, so current growth was "a remarkable achievement". Smith believes the CLiA Australasia target of one million annual cruise passengers should be reached by 2016, "if not before". p&o Cruises is preparing for its biggest ever year of cruising in Australia, with a record five-ship fleet opening the way for new cruises from Cairns and Singapore as well as the cruise line's largest presence yet in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle, Adelaide and Auckland. p&o will have 250 cruises on offer in the 2015-16 programme, including maiden itineraries and inaugural port visits to destinations such as Jakarta and ko Chang. The cruise line's latest ships – Pacific Eden and Pacific Aria – will join the existing fleet of Pacific Dawn, Pacific Jewel and Pacific pearl in Sydney Harbour for an unprecedented five-ship display on november 25, 2015. 20% in 2013, more than double the growth rate of any other major cruise market. With the equivalent of 3.6% of the Australian population taking a cruise in 2013, Australia has become the first nation to achieve a stronger penetration rate than the world's largest passenger source market, north America. in 2013, the equivalent of 3.3% of the north American population took a cruise. With so many ships now on offer around the world, the cruise industry continues to attract a diverse range of Australian passengers. Almost half the cruisers in 2013 were aged under 50 years, while 27.5 per cent were younger than 40. A further 20 per cent fell between 50 and 60 years. Cruise Lines international Association (CLiA) Australasia chairman gavin Smith said Australia was still a relatively young cruise Australians go cruising.

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