CRUISE has not been forgotten from the forthcoming NSW Visitor Economy Strategy, the state government has confirmed, following alert from around the industry as to why it was missing from the review released earlier this week.
The preliminary strategy, published on Tuesday, raved of millions of extra airline seats, tens of thousands of hotel rooms, and a focus on “experience-led” tourism, but failed to make any mention of the future of the cruise industry in NSW.
However, a government spokesperson, responding to questions from travelBulletin, has reinforced the important role cruise plays in NSW’s visitor economy – which will be made clear in the finalised strategy.
“The review released on Tuesday will inform the forthcoming NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035 which, led by DNSW, proposes to include the significant opportunity presented by cruise,” the spokesperson told tB.
“The long-term future of cruise in NSW is very bright and our existing cruising facilities still have capacity to accommodate growth for years to come.”
The government also confirmed the proposal for a third cruise terminal in Sydney is still alive, despite silence on the matter since the Yarra Bay tender was killed off.
“Port Authority is exploring alternate locations for a third terminal to cater for the expected long-term growth of cruise in NSW and has been engaging closely with the cruise industry.
“[They are] well underway with this work and once completed will report back to the NSW Government on viable options.”
However, not all remain convinced, with former Carnival Corporation executive Ryan Taibel telling travelBulletin of his dubiousness of the situation at large.
“While it’s encouraging to hear the New South Wales government is once again exploring a third Sydney cruise terminal, these discussions have been ongoing for years with little to show for it,” said Taibel, who spent almost 15 years with Carnival Corp, before his tenure came to an end a few months ago.
“Sydney is a vital hub for the cruise industry, and there’s a real need for expanded infrastructure to meet growing demand and attract cruise line investment.
“However, until we see concrete progress, it’s hard to be overly optimistic about when—or if—this much-needed facility will materialise.’
