The newly formed Australian Paddock to Port Alliance has released the Australia’s Paddock to Port Economic Impact Report to highlight the economic contribution of the cruise industry.
The Alliance will highlight the businesses behind every cruise ship visit, from the produce loaded on board and the suppliers who deliver it, to the hotels, tour operators, transport providers, retailers and regional communities that benefit when cruise ships choose Australia.
Launched this week, the Alliance brings together Australian farmers, food suppliers, tourism operators, travel agents, ports and cruise industry leaders to make the economic case for a strong and competitive cruise sector.
According to the Australia’s Paddock to Port Economic Impact Report cruise contributes more than $7.3 billion in annual economic activity in Australia and supports more than 22,000 Australian jobs. Cruise lines spend around $1.5 billion in Australia each year, supporting suppliers, service providers, port operations and the wider visitor economy.
Across Australia, cruise passengers spend around $1.8 billion, including on accommodation, shore excursions, retail, transport, dining and other visitor spending. Passenger spending includes almost $400 million on food and beverages ashore, around $250 million on shore excursions, around $210 million on retail purchases and around $210 million on transportation.
Cruise Lines International Association Australia Executive Director Joel Katz said: “Cruise is more than ships. It is an Australian economic ecosystem that supports businesses, jobs and communities across the country.
“Every cruise that comes to Australia creates activity before, during and after the voyage, from the food loaded on board, to the hotels passengers stay in, the tours they book, the transport they use and the local businesses they support.”
Business Sydney Executive Director Paul Nicolaou said: “When a cruise ship arrives in Sydney, it brings more than passengers to the harbour. It delivers spending to hotels, restaurants, cafes, retailers, transport providers, attractions and local services.
"In short, cruise ships represent a huge economic boost to our wonderful city.”
Destination NSW cruise resources
Destination NSW provides resources to help visitor economy businesses learn more about the cruise sector and how they can get involved.
The resources include Cruise Sydney and NSW, an overview of the cruise industry; Cruise 101, which covers the fundamentals of cruising, including seasonality, passenger demographics and cruise terminology; Value of cruise tourism, a guide to the economic value of the cruise tourism and the benefits it can bring to a destination; and Quick tips for creating cruise shore experiences, a guide for visitor economy businesses seeking to make the most of cruise visitation.
Learn more here.
