A more whole-of-network-approach could work to abate congestion in Australian key ports, Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) Vice President & Managing Director Gavin Smith believes.
Speaking last week at the Australian Cruise Association (ACA) conference’s ‘State of the Industry’ panel, Smith said rural ports can help reduce crowding in larger destinations such as Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle, as the busy summer season begins.
“[ACA] Chairman Phil Holliday and [the Port Authority of New South Wales] have championed the port of Eden, and what that’s giving us is an overflow,” he said.
“[When] Sydney is busy on one particular day, we can lengthen the cruise by a day and go to Eden,” he added.
“That regionality is really something we’re looking for, where there are two or three ports working together trying to manage that responsibility…we see it on the Western Australian coast, where there are a good number of ports between Broome and Albany.”
Smith said this strategy works well in the Caribbean, which is the world’s busiest cruise region.
“We’ve got many different regions across the Caribbean that behave very individually, but then also work through their own Caribbean tourist association to present that destination as a consolidated group.
“They still call out their French-ness, their Dutch-ness, their British-ness, their local flavour and culture; they’ve got their individuality, but you can talk to them as a group.”
“That regionality creates a level of cooperation at a port we’re really looking for.” MS