AUSTRALIAN cruise destinations are in the spotlight this week at the tourism industry’s largest business-to-business event.
The country’s cruise sector has been connecting with travel industry representatives from around the world at the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) in Brisbane, which began on the weekend, and will run through Thu.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has joined with the Australian Cruise Association (ACA), who are among 1,600 local representatives showcasing the country to more than 700 global buyers from across 30 nations.
CLIA and the ACA are promoting the hundreds of choices international visitors have to explore Australia by sea, taking advantage of a diverse range of ships, iconic destinations, and more than 30,000km of coastline.
Joel Katz, CLIA Managing Director, and ACA Chief Executive Officer Jill Abel, are hosting a full schedule of appointments at a co-branded booth (pictured), representing their combined memberships of cruise lines, ports, destinations, tourism operators, travel advisors and other cruise sector stakeholders.
Passenger numbers are at record levels worldwide, Katz noted, and the Australian cruise community is focused on attracting more of them.
“Cruising is an incredibly important part of Australia’s tourism industry, generating $8.43 billion a year for the national economy and supporting more than 26,000 full-time jobs,” he said.
“If international cruise passengers were a country, they would represent one of Australia’s top five tourism markets, so we need to foster this key part of our tourism portfolio.”
Abel added the worldwide growth in demand for cruising presented huge opportunities for a nation defined by its coasts.
“Australia is a land of incredible coastal destinations, so cruising is a natural opportunity for international visitors who want to connect our gateway cities and natural environment by sea,” enthused Abel. MS
