Christine Cole inducted into Cruising Hall of Fame

July 31, 2026 – Respected Australian cruise industry champion, the late Christine Cole, has been inducted into the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Hall of Fame in a presentation at this year’s Western Australian Cruise Exchange in Perth.

At a dinner hosted by Tourism WA, Christine was named a special recipient of the honour in acknowledgement of her tireless work to support the cruise industry and create tourism opportunities in communities throughout the State.

The Hall of Fame is ordinarily presented at CLIA’s annual Cruise Industry Awards in Australasia, but was announced last night among WA tourism industry colleagues and cruise line leaders as a posthumous tribute to Christine, recognising her standing within the industry.

CLIA Executive Director in Australasia Joel Katz said Christine had played a pivotal role in shaping and growing WA’s cruise sector.

“Christine understood that growing a successful cruise industry was not simply about ships and ports. It was about relationships, trust, patience and bringing people together around a shared purpose,” Mr Katz said.

“She worked patiently and persistently with cruise lines, ports, destinations, tourism operators and communities across the State, and she helped build the partnerships and understanding that allowed cruise tourism in WA to mature and prosper,” he said. “Her impact can be seen in the strength of WA’s cruise industry today, in the people she supported, and in the respect and affection evident among her peers.”

Christine Cole held many roles at Tourism WA over 25 years, including as Cruise & Niche Tourism Manager. She led the development and implementation of the 10-Year WA Cruise Tourism Strategic Plan, managed eight WA Cruise Exchanges and secured two national cruise conferences over the past decade. She passed away in May following a long battle with cancer.