THE cruise industry is once again calling for talks to end the cycle of inaction over its future, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) MD Australasia Joel Katz has said. In responding to yesterday’s extension of the human biosecurity emergency period to 17 Dec, Katz warned Australia is being left behind...
THE cruise industry is once again calling for talks to end the cycle of inaction over its future, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) MD Australasia Joel Katz has said.
In responding to yesterday’s extension of the human biosecurity emergency period to 17 Dec, Katz warned Australia is being left behind as other countries rebuild their cruising and tourism economies.
Australia has become the only major cruise destination in the world where governments have made no progress on plans for revival, with Katz saying discussions were needed to finalise a pathway forward.
“Our discussions with government agencies have gone nowhere and our letters to the most senior levels of government have gone unanswered,” said Katz.
“Other countries have not only created detailed plans to uphold safety on cruise ships in response to the pandemic, but have already resumed cruising in a responsible way.
“More than a million passengers have sailed successfully in countries where cruising has resumed — with strict health protocols in place — but in Australia our calls for detailed discussions with health authorities have been ignored.”
Katz said the cruise industry has presented some of the most stringent COVID-19 measures to be found anywhere in world tourism, developed with the support of medical experts and health authorities internationally.
“CLIA has outlined its own four-phase pathway to cruising’s revival, so we need governments to break the cycle of inaction and discuss how to put plans in place now so that we’re ready as conditions improve and vaccination rates rise.”
“The livelihoods of thousands of Australians have been devastated while cruising has been suspended…these people deserve clarity and a plan for the future, so we can begin to rebuild and revive economic opportunities for communities around our coasts.”
The three-month extension maintains the pattern of quarterly additions to the human biosecurity emergency period, with the old adjunct previously set to expire in two weeks time (CW 11 Jun).
Minister for Health Greg Hunt announced the extension despite the fact 80% of Australians could be vaccinated and out of lockdown by mid-Dec, which he said was in line with “medical advice”.
