CLIA report indicates a record $4.58 billion output.
The growth in numbers of Australian-based cruise ships has led to a 27% year-on-year surge in the contribution of cruising to the country’s economy, according to a new report commissioned by Cruise Lines International Association Australasia.
CLIA chairman Steve Odell has just unveiled the Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Australian Economy 2015-16 report at an event in Sydney, where he said it showed “compelling evidence of the economic benefits flowing from the cruise industry’s continued growth”.
Cruising’s economic output has reached $4.58 billion, up a whopping 43% since 2013 when CLIA’s first economic activity report was released.
“Our challenge is to make sure that this growth is not taken for granted by government and other stakeholders. Australia is very appealing for both homeported and international cruise ships, but to make the most of our potential and maintain our edge in an increasingly competitive environment, we must recognise the importance of long term infrastructure planning and a positive regulatory environment, an d do all that is possible to encourage more cruise ships to our shores,” Odell said.
An executive summary of the report is now online at www.cruising.org.au.
More details in tomorrow’s issue of Cruise Weekly.