Global cruise passenger traffic reached a historic high of 35 million in 2024, yet the industry must strengthen communication and value promotion to highlight its positive contributions to sustainable development. Key current priorities include artificial intelligence applications, premiumization transformation, and sustainability strategies.
The 15th International Cruise Summit was successfully held in Madrid, Spain, from November 18 to 19. The conference focused on multiple critical industry development topics, with the application of artificial intelligence technology emerging as the most prominent area of attention.
Currently, AI has been deeply integrated into multiple core areas of the cruise industry, including itinerary planning, online sales, and environmental management, injecting powerful innovation into the traditional sector. Notably, global cruise passenger volume reached a historic high of 35 million in 2024, creating 440,000 jobs in Europe alone. Its global economic impact surged to $198 billion, marking an 18% increase year-on-year. Although the cruise industry plays a significant role in driving destination economic development and promoting employment, its comprehensive value remains underappreciated by governments and the public. Consequently, some tourist destinations continue to introduce tourism tax policies, which to some extent exacerbate the operational burden on the industry. In response, conference delegates unanimously called for enhanced industry communication and value promotion, emphasizing the positive contributions of the cruise industry to sustainable development.
Major Travel Companies Launch AI Innovations
During this summit, artificial intelligence was widely recognized as a key driver for optimizing the entire cruise industry process. Leading companies unveiled innovative applications that significantly enhanced sales conversion rates and customer service standards. For instance, global travel platform Expedia launched its AI-powered travel planning assistant, projected to reach 400 million users; e-Hoi Group is also set to introduce a professional AI sales assistant. While human expertise remains essential for certain aspects of itinerary planning, AI has demonstrated exceptional optimization potential in specialized areas like route design and operational decision-making. More promisingly, AI technology will continue to drive improvements in critical functions such as workforce allocation, customer relationship management, and real-time data analysis, delivering dual enhancements in efficiency and service experience across the entire industry. These technological advancements not only reduce operational costs but also create more personalized and convenient travel experiences for passengers.
The high-end cruise market continues its rapid growth trajectory, expanding at three times the industry average. This trend is epitomized by the deep involvement of top hotel brands like Aman, Four Seasons, and Ritz-Carlton, with major luxury cruise lines rolling out exclusive bespoke services and innovative products. Jonathan L. Wilson, President of Aman Resorts, emphasized at the summit that “luxury” is fundamentally a unique experience that transcends monetary value. It is reported that the group's newly planned yacht will accommodate only 94 guests but will be staffed by as many as 207 crew members. It will offer ultimate services including helicopter transfers, spacious luxury suites, high-end Japanese design, and curated exclusive itineraries. Industry experts widely agree that crafting personalized, exclusive memories for travelers is emerging as a core competitive advantage for the future cruise industry. This shift from “scale” to “quality” represents a crucial direction for the sector's upgrade.
Beyond upgrading hardware facilities and service standards, diverse experiential content is increasingly becoming a key battleground for companies competing for passengers. From meticulously designed movie-themed itineraries to seamless airport-to-port connections via nature park train services, more and more novel experiences are being ingeniously integrated into standard voyages. Simultaneously, social media's strategic importance continues to rise, with cruise companies leveraging co-created content with passengers for brand promotion and topic engagement becoming a fundamental marketing strategy. The impact of climate change also featured prominently in summit discussions. Global trends of extreme heat may disrupt city excursion itineraries, prompting some port cities to develop detailed contingency plans. The industry is actively exploring the feasibility of shifting shore excursions to evening or even nighttime hours to address these emerging challenges.
Industry players believe that as one of the world's most important emerging cruise markets, China can fully leverage the transformative opportunities presented by artificial intelligence. This is particularly true in areas such as personalized itinerary design, precision marketing, and customer relationship management, where intelligent solutions can enhance operational efficiency and service quality. Facing global challenges like climate change, China's cruise industry must also prepare for the future by establishing a comprehensive emergency management system. Simultaneously, it should strengthen the promotion of its own value to create a more favorable policy environment for industry development.
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Congxiao
Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
