Australia should be a much bigger source market to the greater Asia region, which has fallen out of popularity in recent years, says CLIA. SPEAKING at the Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific conference in Singapore this morning, CLIA Australasia gm Brett Jardine has declared it is time for cruise lines to boost...
Australia should be a much
bigger source market to the
greater Asia region, which
has fallen out of popularity in
recent years, says CLIA.
SPEAKING at the Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific
conference in Singapore this morning, CLIA
Australasia gm Brett Jardine has declared it
is time for cruise lines to boost Australian
passenger numbers to Asia.
“Travel time is short by comparison to Europe
and North America and yet we are not seeing
the numbers we would like,” he said.
According to CLIA’s research into Australians’
cruise choices last year, all major destinations
except Asia experienced growth, with the
continent attracting only 5% of the Australian
market in 2012 – a drop of 13%.
“Naturally we see this as a concern when
we compare to how other destinations have
appealed to the Australian market over the last
five years,” Jardine said.
He suggested the cause of these “abnormal
dips” in the number of Australians cruising to
Asia was attributable to the sharp decline in
available capacity in 2009.
“Indications are that while capacity did
increase in the region in 2012, the majority of
it is being filled from local source markets.”
Jardine said cruise lines could learn from
CLIA’s research how to turn around the
“below average results” for Asia, with his
recommendations including the introduction
of more 8-14 day itineraries – the most popular
time frame among Australians taking cruise
holidays last year.
Travellers from NSW and Queensland, who
account for two-thirds of Australian cruise
passengers, should be targeted within six to
12 months of departure, when they are most
likely to book, he added.
The CSA-P conference and trade show
continues today, along with CLIA Australasia’s
travel agent training sessions.
