Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will host on 16 and 17 September the 2026 edition of the international event Seatrade Cruise Med, bringing together more than 90 experts and global leaders from the maritime and tourism sector for around 25 debate sessions. Under the slogan Raising Expectations (“Raising expectations”), the meeting will tackle the challenges of sustainable growth, authenticity in destinations, the de-seasonalisation of tourism and the expansion of the luxury segment. The keynote address will be delivered by Charles ‘Bud’ Darr, president of the International Association of Cruise Lines (CLIA), who will highlight the strategic role of the Mediterranean and adjacent seas in developing responsible tourism and reducing emissions.
The main panel
The main panel of the summit, titled ‘The State of the Mediterranean Cruise Industry: Raising Expectations’, will be moderated by Mary Bond, Seatrade Cruise Group director. This high-level gathering will feature prominent industry executives including Leonardo Massa, vice president for Southern Europe at the Cruise Division of MSC Group; Nikos Mertzanidis, CEO for Europe at CLIA; Theodora Riga, president of the MedCruise association; Samantha Stimpson, CEO of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines; and Chris Theophilides, CEO of Celestyal Cruises. According to figures provided by the organisers, the Mediterranean region and its adjacent areas reached a record 39.75 million passenger movements in 2025, underscoring the urgent need to balance tourism competitiveness with the protection and active management of local communities.
The second day
The second day of the event, scheduled for Thursday 17 September, will begin with an analysis of the arrival of major hotel brands in the maritime sector through the panel ‘When Hotel Brands Set Sail’, moderated by Jason Gelineau (Seatrade Cruise / JAG Hospitality), with interventions from Philippe Hetland-Brault (CEO of Orient Express Sailing Yachts) and Ben Trodd (CEO of Four Seasons Yachts) after their first operating seasons in 2026.
A new session
Also, for the first time in the summit’s history, the session ‘Balancing Seasonality: The Year-Round Tourism Economy’—developed in collaboration with Routes, Low Season Traveller and Tourism Seasonality Summit—will bring representatives from aviation and cruises together on the same stage to discuss the creation of a continuous tourism model throughout the year.
Luxury cruise market focus
The rise of the luxury cruise market will take centre stage in the session ‘Beneath the Luxury Itinerary: What the Med & Atlantic Demand of Ports & Destinations Now’, moderated by Figen Ayan (Ayan Consulting) and sponsored by Forbes Travel Guide. The session will examine the rapid transformation of a segment that has grown from 28 ships operating in 2010 to 97 in 2024, with contributions from Justin Poulsen (Explora Journeys), Crystal Morgan (Seabourn Cruises & Expeditions) and Sacha Rougier (Orient Express Sailing Yachts). As the thematic blocks come to a close, Oxford Economics will present market data in ‘Cruise Outlook: Growth, Deployment & the Atlantic Opportunity’, paving the way for the round table ‘The Atlantic Advantage’. In it, Susana Gutiérrez, managing director of Canary Islands Cruise Ports (Global Ports Holding)—an entity that manages the terminals of Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Málaga—will analyse, together with experts from TUI Cruises, Carnival Maritime and MedCruise, the key role of the Atlantic in easing pressure on the most established ports.
The entry Seatrade Cruise Med 2026: TUI Cruises, Carnival, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and MSC Group confirm participation in the Canary Islands was first published on canarymaritime.com.
