Cruise tourism

Cruise tourism is defined as a trip for pleasure on a cruise ship or cruise liner. The voyage and the ship's services and facilities are part of the experience of a cruise, as well as the stopover destinations along the way.

Queensland's cruise tourism market

The cruise industry is growing in Queensland with more cruise ships setting up home ports and exploring new anchorage sites. From 2024 to 2025, there were 445 cruise ship visits with the largest number visiting Brisbane's International Cruise Terminal, followed by the Whitsundays, and then Cairns.

Queensland is a diverse cruise destination, with 45 ports and anchorages located along more than 600km of coastline. The cruise industry provides an economic boost to Brisbane and coastal Queensland, in particular Far North Queensland (including Cairns, Port Douglas and Thursday Island), the Whitsundays, Fraser Coast and Townsville.

Businesses in port communities benefit from cruise transit calls and shore excursions, as visitors are encouraged to buy local products and services, and experience what the destination has to offer.

The flow-on benefits created by the cruise industry are many and include:

  • increased profits
  • job growth
  • opportunities for new land-based tourism experiences
  • new and repeat visitation
  • enhancing indirect economic and social benefits to local communities
  • raising the profile of Queensland destinations worldwide.

Future demand outlook for cruise tourism in Queensland

Long-term growth prospects for the industry are positive. To support the ongoing growth of the cruise market along the Queensland coast, 3 significant infrastructure projects have been completed:

  • Ports North completed the Cairns Shipping Development Project, which included the widening and deepening of Trinity Inlet to allow larger cruise ships of up to 300m in length to dock. As a result of the project, they welcomed their first larger cruise ship, the Queen Elizabeth, in February 2020.
  • Port of Brisbane received approval from the Queensland Government for the $158 million Brisbane International Cruise Terminal at Luggage Point, at the mouth of the Brisbane River. Construction of the new facility is now completed.
  • In 2025, Port of Townsville completed the largest infrastructure project in the port's history—the $251 million Channel Upgrade Project.

Cruise tourism opportunities

Queensland has the second largest economic impact generated from the cruise industry in Australia.

An increase in cruise tourists visiting Queensland gives businesses an opportunity to attract new customers, generate positive word-of-mouth, and increase sales. By working together with other tourism operators, local government and their community in regional planning, development and marketing initiatives, businesses can take advantage of cruise tourism in their region.

There are many strategies businesses can use to attract cruise visitors who stop over at nearby ports and anchorages, including:

Queensland can position itself strongly by offering unique and compelling itineraries that differentiate it from other cruise destinations, including opportunities for:

  • ecotourism experiences
  • First Nations tourism offerings
  • building more Queensland land-based products into shore excursion programs
  • extending visitor spend through pre-tour and post-tour itineraries.

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