Tourism New Zealand is looking at cruise visitation in a whole new way, with a concerted program to attract more global superyachts to visit. Speaking this morning at the TRENZ tradeshow in Rotorua, Jason Hill from Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED) said the “superyacht initiative” is targeting a...
Tourism New Zealand is
looking at cruise visitation in a
whole new way, with a concerted
program to attract more global
superyachts to visit.
Speaking this morning at the
TRENZ tradeshow in Rotorua,
Jason Hill from Auckland Tourism,
Events & Economic Development
(ATEED) said the “superyacht
initiative” is targeting a doubling
of arrivals of the luxury cruise
vessels by 2018.
Last year, a total of 58 of the
huge ships visited New Zealand,
including the 330 metre Serene,
owned by Russian vodka
billionaire Yuri Scheffler, which
spent seven weeks in Kiwi waters.
The $400m vessel, which has 50
crew and sleeps up to 24 guests
in 15 staterooms boasts two
helipads, an indoor climbing wall,
a cinema and a submarine.
Hill said the admittedly niche
superyacht segment still has
significant tourism potential,
injecting almost $40m into the
economy in 2013 – a figure which
is projected to grow to $79m over
the next three years which would
see 74 superyachts visiting.
There is also a flow-on to the
local marine industry, with the
visiting vessels often taking the
opportunity for refits while in
southern hemisphere waters.
As well as the wealthy owners,
having the superyachts visit
New Zealand also opens up the
opportunity for high net worth
charters, with some people
paying up to $500,000 per week
to charter the vessels.
That in turn feeds into on-shore
spending in luxury lodges and
high end product, Hill added.
ATEED’s strategy includes raising
awareness of NZ as a cruising and
charter destination, increasing
the time the superyachts spend in
Kiwi waters, and positioning New
Zealand as the “luxury yachting
hub of the Asia-Pacific region”.
