Grassroots of Tourism Understands Benefits of Cruising to Tasmania’s Economy
Australia's leading cruise operator Carnival Australia and major contributor to Tasmania's surge in cruise tourism today praised the state's cruise guides for their grassroots understanding of the sector's benefits for the local economy.
Cruise ship guides who regularly welcome visitors to Tasmania's popular ports rejected recent criticism of cruise tourism and pointed to its benefits for hundreds of small businesses.
"The guides are eloquent in their support of cruise tourism and confirm that their grassroots perspective gives them a far greater understanding that the economic benefits of cruising are very real," said Carnival Australia corporate affairs manager David Jones.
"Their intuitively positive view of cruise tourism is confirmed in the most recent study that showed cruising's total economic output in Tasmania surged by 32 per cent in 2015-16 to $60 million.
"Tasmania's visitor economy is also seeing the impact of a 42 per cent increase last year alone in the number of passengers sailing on Australian domestic cruises with a significant number of these itineraries featuring Tasmanian destinations.
"It would be very disappointing if an outdated view of cruising was allowed to overwhelm the positive contribution of a sector that over the past decade has been transformed, revitalised and represents a broad demographic spectrum."
A snapshot of cruise tourism in Tasmania includes the following:
- Cruise industry economic activity increased 32.4 per cent from 2014-15 to 2015-16 rising from $45 million to $60 million.
- In 2016, 12 per cent of all visitors to Tasmania travelled by sea, an increase of 11 per cent on the previous year.
- Last year, cruise ships made 59 calls to Tasmanian destinations with around 114,000 passengers and 49,000 crew on board.
- Port bookings show that cruise ships will make 76 calls to Hobart and 23 calls to Burnie next year.
Media Contacts:
David Jones 02 8424 8861
