Cruise executives urge unified regional strategy to unlock Middle East potential

Cruise industry leaders have called for closer cooperation among Middle Eastern destinations, arguing that the region could support significant expansion if it continues to align policies and invest collectively in its cruise tourism sector. 

The comments were reported by Connecting Travel during a panel discussion at the Tourise event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where senior figures from global cruise brands assessed the sector’s future in the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea.

Participants highlighted that the Middle East remains a relatively small contributor to the global cruise market, despite growing infrastructure and passenger interest. While cruise demand worldwide is projected to reach tens of millions of travellers over the next few years, the region currently represents a fraction of that figure, prompting calls to unify port development, passenger processes, and marketing strategies.

Drawing on long industry experience, Manfredi Lefebvre, Co-Chair of Abercrombie & Kent and Chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council, emphasised that the region’s diversity is its strongest asset.

He said it offers a broad mix of cultural, historic and leisure destinations that can support itineraries ranging from short voyages to extended cruises. Lefebvre noted that the Middle East’s combination of natural landscapes, modern cities and strong air connectivity makes it “ideally suited” for cruising and attractive to European markets seeking shorter travel times.

Speakers also pointed to recent operational progress. Celestyal Cruises, which tested routes in the region last year, is returning for a full season with two ships. 

Chris Theophilides, the company’s CEO, said improvements in cross-border procedures are helping spur confidence. He described the shift as “regional harmonisation,” suggesting that ports and governments are increasingly working to remove barriers that previously complicated scheduling and logistics.

Cruise Saudi CEO Lars Clasen echoed the call for streamlined operations, saying future growth depends on consistency across multiple countries, from the Red Sea to the Gulf. He argued that immigration rules, clearance processes and passenger handling must be more closely aligned so cruise lines view the Middle East as a connected network rather than isolated markets. 

Clasen noted that Saudi Arabia’s membership in the Cruise Arabia Alliance, which now links six destinations, reflects a wider effort to market the region as a single cruise proposition.

The discussion also touched on the shift from short port calls to longer, experience-driven itineraries. With more than US$1 billion reportedly invested in terminals and visitor facilities in recent years, panellists said there is an opportunity to offer week-long and seasonal programmes that encourage travellers to spend more time in the region. 

They highlighted that many governments now aim to lengthen average tourism stays, and cruise itineraries can directly support that ambition.

Closing the session, Clasen said the sector’s evolution in the Middle East will rely on cooperation as much as investment. 

He described Cruise Saudi’s approach as building not only a product but journeys that link “people, culture and coastlines,” signalling an industry push toward regional identity rather than national competition.