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I attended the ICCA meeting attended by media and cruise industry leaders on Pacific Jewel this week. Launching the 2011 report, ICCA Chairman Gavin Smith said the latest figures cemented cruising’s status as the shining star of the tourism industry, with the Australian cruise market leading the world in terms of growth.

The report also reveals that 40 per cent of the nation’s cruise passengers live in New South Wales with Queensland accounting for 24 per cent, Victoria 16 per cent and Western Australia 9 per cent. Key findings of the 2011 Cruise Industry Report include:

• Australian cruise passenger numbers rose 34 per cent from 466,672 in 2010 to 623,294 in 2011

• Local cruising to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific accounted for 70 per cent of Australian cruise passenger numbers in 2011

• The South Pacific retained its position as the most popular destination for Australians, attracting 37 per cent of passengers (230,321) in 2011

• The number of Australians cruising to New Zealand surged by 80 per cent in 2011 to reach 84,013, reflecting an increase in the number of trans Tasman cruises

• River cruising passenger numbers grew by 22 per cent to almost 35,000, accounting for 6 per cent of Australian cruise passenger numbers

• The growth in passenger numbers saw a rise in estimated sea days (ie total days spent at sea by Australian holidaymakers) to almost 6.5 million – up 36 per cent on 2010

• 2.7 per cent of the Australian population took a cruise in 2011, placing Australia second in the world in terms of market penetration

• Cruise passenger numbers rose by more than 23 per cent annually between 2006 and 2011. Mr Smith said the cruise industry was well on target to reach its goal of one million passengers by 2020.  PHOTOS: Gavin Smith, Sarina Bratton with Ann Sherry, Karen Christensen with Brett Jardine.