Scenic Eclipse II - and Reece Whitby - to open 2025 ACA Conference in Freo

The 2025 Australian Cruise Association Conference opens in Fremantle next Wednesday 3 September and runs over 3 days.

The conference will be opened not only officially – by Reece Whitby, Western Australia’s Minister for Tourism and the Great Southern – but also unofficially – by Scenic Eclipse II, Scenic’s ultra-luxury discovery yacht making its maiden visit to Freo before it heads off to the Kimberley and places north.

Here’s Reece Whitby.

Just as the Minister is doing the honours at the Gage Roads Welcome function on Victoria Quay, Scenic Eclipse II will sail by as the sun sets on Fremantle Harbour. It’ll be quite a moment.

Here’s a nice image courtesy Scenic of how it all might look from the Harbour.

Jill Abel, CEO of the ACA, says –

“This is a significant moment for ACA and for Fremantle. Minister Whitby’s presence, along with Scenic Eclipse II sailing past the function, sets the tone for a conference focused on innovation, regional opportunity, and industry collaboration.”

Minister Whitby having acknowledged his privilege to open the conference, has noted –

“WA’s cruise industry generated $385 million in economic impact in 2023-24 and supported more than 1,200 local jobs, making it a vital contributor to Western Australia’s tourism sector.

“I look forward to this event building on that success, strengthening industry partnerships, and highlighting the vital role cruise plays in driving regional tourism.”

Jenny Archibald, Deputy Mayor of Fremantle, will also be in attendance at the Welcome Function, alongside a host of cruise and tourism sector dignitaries.

Adding to the local flavour of the event, the Mayor of Fremantle, Hannah Fitzhardinge, will join delegates at the Friday morning conference breakfast.

Amongst other speakers, conference goers will hear from Stu McLeod, CEO of the Fremantle Foundation and guitarist for ARIA award-winning band Eskimo Joe, as he shares reflections on the city’s creative spirit and community impact.

The 2025 Conference marks ACA’s return to Fremantle for the first time in two decades, bringing together over 150 delegates representing ports, tourism organisations, cruise lines, shore excursion operators, and government stakeholders. Themed Anchoring Success Across Every Region, the conference program will explore how Australia can strengthen its position in the global cruise market through sustainable growth and regional dispersal.

Key panels and presentations include:

• State of the Australian Cruise Industry and Future Outlook

Gavin Smith (Royal Caribbean Group), Peter Little (Carnival Corporation), Ben Angell (Norwegian Cruise Line), and Jill Abel (ACA), moderated by Scott Lovett (BDO)

• Keynote – Emerging Tourism Trends

Sally Cope, Tourism Australia

• Keynote – How Princess Can Turn the Tide in Australia

Matthew Rutherford, Princess Cruises

• Panel – Decoding Deployment

Robert de Bruin (Holland America Line), Debbie Holbrook (Princess Cruises), Tim Jones (Celebrity Cruises), and Michael Braathen (Mystic Cruises), moderated by Jill Abel (ACA)

• Keynote + Panel – Redesigning Shorex for Different Generations / Unpacking Shorex and Pre/Post Opportunities

Christine Manjencic (Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings), Jack Sherrell (Two Feet and a Heartbeat), Tas Webber (Brisbane EDA), and Mladen Vukic (APT), moderated by Jacqui Lloyd (New Zealand Cruise Association)

• Panel – Setting Up Ports for the Next Decade of Cruise

Brendan Connell (Port of Brisbane), Mike Drake (Carnival Cruise Line), John McKenna (Port Authority NSW), and Luke Westlake (Kimberley Ports Authority), moderated by Prof. Ross Dowling (Freelance Cruise Lecturer)

• Panel – The Rise of Expedition and Ultra-Luxury Cruising

Deb Corbett (Ponant), Adam Radwanski (Silversea), Jeff Gillies (Coral Expeditions), Renata Lowe (Tourism WA), and Steve Biviano (Select Fresh Providores), moderated by Jason Gelineau (JAG Hospitality)

• Panel – Reflections and Regional Resilience

Jaqui Lloyd (NZ Cruise Association), Sandy Olsen (Carnival Corporation), Josh Dolgoy (Royal Caribbean Group), and Adela Issachar Aru (Vanuatu Tourism), moderated by Joel Katz (CLIA).

And here’s the full conference program and how to register.

The conference is proudly supported by Tourism Western Australia, Business Events Perth, and the City of Fremantle.

Fremantle Shipping News looks forward to reporting on the conference’s deliberations.

By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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