AFTER more than a decade of record annual growth, the expansion of the Australian cruise sector effectively ground to a halt in 2018 as the capacity crisis in Sydney Harbour made its impact felt right across the industry. The annual Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) cruise figures, released at NSW...
AFTER more than a decade of record annual growth, the expansion of the Australian cruise sector effectively ground to a halt in 2018 as the capacity crisis in Sydney Harbour made its impact felt right across the industry.
The annual Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) cruise figures, released at NSW Parliament House yesterday, showed cruising in local waters grew just 0.1% during the year, and CLIA is expecting the same outcome or even a slight decline in the 2019 results.
When international cruising was added in the overall result was a 0.9% year-on-year increase, with 1.35 million Australians taking an ocean cruise during the year.
However CLIA Australasia MD Joel Katz noted growth of 3.4% in the number of Australians taking fly-cruise options in other regions, “indicating demand remains strong in the Australian market”.
The slow local trend is expected to reverse in 2020/21, with Katz referring to several significant new vessel deployments as smaller, older ships are replaced with newer and larger options.
The construction of Brisbane’s International Cruise Terminal along with other infrastructure projects in Cairns, Eden and Broome were also “expected to reignite growth,” he said.
Pictured at yesterday’s announcement are Tony Archbold, Holland America/Seabourn; Sture Myrmell, Carnival Australia CEO and CLIA Chairman; Andrew Millmore, Travel the World; Joel Katz, CLIA; and Grant Gilfillan, head of the NSW Ports Authority.
More from CLIA on page three.
