| Cruising supports Pacific communities

CARNIVAL Australia ceo Ann Sherry has
highlighted the work of organisations such as
AusAID, Australian Business Volunteers and
the Enterprise Challenge Fund, which are
working in partnership with Carnival to
“connect cruising and economic opportunity
for island communities”.
Speaking at the Lowy Institute’s Pacific
Leaders’ Forum, Sherry said projects include
destination management plans for key
destinations in New Caledonia and Vanuatu to
support environmentally sustainable cruise
ship visits, as well as assisting communities to
develop tourism related business ventures.
Recent developments include support for a
shore tours operation at Mystery Island in
Vanuatu, which she said “has the potential to
become the template for similar tourism
related businesses across the South Pacific.
“P&O Cruises has been sailing to the South
Pacific for nearly 80 years but we have
recognised that the traditional business model
of sailing to the region with thousands of
passengers and then simply taking them home
is unsustainable in the long term,” she said.
Sherry also hailed early moves by maritime
authorities in Australia and NZ which could see
new hydrographic surveys of South Pacific
shipping routes update and replace “very old
paper based navigational charts”.