AUSTRALIA’S live entertainers, particularly those who depended on cruising for much of their livelihoods, are among the many hoping for cruise tourism’s return – just ask Gold Coast-based hypnotist Anthony Laffan.
He and his wife Kasey have invested their life savings in opening a local pizzeria (pictured) after the cruise entertainment sector ground to a halt.
The Cara Mia Pizzeria, located in Labrador on the Gold Coast, is the result of a six-month crash course in pizzas.
The bold move followed the devastation of seeing six months of cruise work “disappear in an instant,” Laffan said.
“I was an entertainer for 35 years – that is all I knew…I was away 26 weeks each year entertaining on cruise ships,” Laffan explained.
“I had six months of bookings and they disappeared instantly.”
“A mate with a couple of pizza shops in Brisbane offered to teach us…for six months we trained with him.”
Laffan said despite being told he was “mad” to open a pizzeria in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, a surge in the delivery sector convinced him he could do it.