Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is preparing to host its biggest event of the year, as it welcomes hundreds of members from across Australia and New Zealand for the 22nd annual Cruise Industry Awards in Sydney tomorrow.

With 75 finalists vying for one of cruising’s most prestigious honours, 16 awards will be presented during a gala dinner hosted by actor and television presenter Luke Jacobz.

The finalists were selected from approximately 800 nominations, making this year’s awards among the most fiercely contested in the event’s history. CLIA Managing Director for Australasia, Joel Katz, highlighted that the event will celebrate the people who have helped establish Australasia as one of the world’s most dynamic cruise regions.

“We’ll see some spectacular entertainment by the young dancers of the Brent Street performing arts academy, some incredible musical tributes, and some surprise elements that reflect the spirit that has shaped our Australasian cruise industry over many decades,” he said. “Above all, we’ll celebrate our incredibly dedicated travel agent community and honour the hard work that has made cruising so successful in this part of the world.”

This year’s awards will also reflect the significant growth in CLIA’s travel agent membership. “We now have more CLIA travel agents in Australasia than we have ever seen before, and we can see this reflected in the fresh perspectives of this year’s award nominations,” Katz explained. “We will see new names in this year’s awards, standing alongside some of the well-established achievers.”

The 22nd Cruise Industry Awards are supported by headline partner Qatar Tourism, with feature entertainment sponsored by Norwegian Cruise Line and an after-party presented by Royal Caribbean.