| Fantasea sells operation

FANTASEA Cruises has agreed to sell its
Whitsundays tourism operation to Cruise
Whitsundays.
Effective date is expected to be 29 Jun,
however this may extend to 16 Jul subject to
contractual conditions.
Cruise Whitsundays will take over Fantasea’s
rights to service Hamilton Island, the two
Reefworld platforms on Hardy Reef, the vessel
Charmer, and the land and marina holdings at
Port of Airlie.
The Fantasea brand will continue to operate
elsewhere, including Sydney, Palm Beach
Ferries and the Townsville Magnetic Island
ferry service.
Cruise Whitsundays owners Chris Jacobs and
Roger Dold said the acquisition would allow
their business to reach its full potential.
“With the additional passengers and services
we have acquired from Fantasea, the economics
of the business will be stronger and will allow
us to focus on growth and innovation in these
challenging times,” they said in a statement.
Glenn Bourke, ceo of Hamilton Island, said he
had been consulted throughout the process
and was fully supportive of the move.
Fantasea Cruises has won a number of
regional, state and national tourism awards
and was the only Queensland operator to win
an award at the 2011 Qantas Australian
Tourism Awards.