Monday, 24 April 2023

NSW CELEBRATES CRUISING MILESTONE

The NSW visitor economy is celebrating the one-year anniversary of cruise ships returning to NSW waters following a two-year absence due to the pandemic.

The first ship sailed into Sydney Harbour on 18 April 2022. P&O's Pacific Explorer was saluted by three water cannon tugs as it arrived at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.

CLIA Australasia & Asia Managing Director Joel Katz said: "Seeing the first cruise ships return back to our harbours after a two-year absence was an incredibly emotional moment for so many people – not just for cruise fans, but also for the thousands of Australians whose jobs rely on cruise tourism.

"It has also been fantastic to see ships returning to regional ports and remote communities, bringing back much-needed economic opportunities outside the major cities.

“Cruising is in a renaissance worldwide and by the end of this year we expect global passenger numbers to have returned to pre-pandemic levels, and we’ll see first-time visitors to Australia like Disney Cruises, Virgin Voyages and Scenic."

Close to one million cruise passengers are expected to pass through Port Authority’s Sydney Cruise Terminals in the 2022-23 financial year, with more than 40 different vessels from 25 different cruise lines making more than 300 calls in NSW.

"By next summer we expect to see around 60 ships – the same level of activity we saw prior to the pandemic," Mr Katz said.

General Manager of Clean Cruising Dan Russell told Escape capacity is forecast to be up around 15 per cent for next season.

Destination NSW is inviting the world to discover the rich diversity of cruise port and shore excursion options along the NSW coast with an updated Cruise Sydney & New South Wales – Along the Blue Highway guide.

Developed in partnership between Destination NSW and Port Authority of NSW, the new edition of the guide includes new products and experiences in each of the state’s nine port destination as well as updated port parameters and infrastructure, making it an essential resource for the cruise sector.

View Cruise Sydney & New South Wales – Along the Blue Highway here.

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*Source: Destination NSW

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