2026 Arctic Cruise Conference
October 21 | Oslo, Norway
Join industry leaders, expedition cruise operators, destinations, authorities, and experts from across the Arctic to explore the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping Arctic expedition cruising.
Bringing together key voices from across the industry, the conference offers a platform for knowledge sharing, meaningful connections, and collaboration to advance responsible Arctic tourism.
Preliminary Program
08:30-09:00 Registration
Industry Outlook: Status, Trends & Regional Updates
Welcome and Keynote
Frigg Jørgensen, AECO
Wybcke Meier, CEO, TUI Cruises
Geographical Updates from AECO’s Four Regions
TBC
Statistics and Overview of AECO’s Operational Area
Anders La Cour Vahl and Troels Jacobsen, AECO
Environment: Underwater Noise & Wastewater
AECO’s New Underwater Noise and Wastewater Project
Mark van der Hulst, AECO
Sound-Cruising in Svalbard
Heidi Ahonen, Norwegian Polar Institute
Fabienne Mannherz, Aarhus University
Panel Discussion
TBC
Community Engagement: Understanding Community Well-Being & Tourism’s Impact
Community Well-Being
TBC
Research in East Greenland: Findings from Tasiilaq and Kulusuk
Flavio Picone, Environmental Scientist and Sustainability Consultant
Strengthening Community Relationships with Arctic Expedition Cruising
Carina Ren, Aalborg University
Digging for Monsters From the Time of Dinosaurs: Lessons From Field Science on Building Relationships With Communities
Jørn Hurum, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo
Looking Ahead: Reflections & Networking
Conference Wrap-Up
Karin Strand, Chair of AECO’s Executive Committee
Informal Networking and Drinks
Sponsored by Coop Svalbard
Meet Our Speakers
Confirmed speakers include authorities, destinations, and partners from across the Arctic.
Last update: 01. September 2026