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Stand-out cruise ship season due to set sail

PRESS RELEASE

Stand-out cruise ship season due to set sail;
preparations underway

 
August 30, 2016: The largest and longest cruise ship to visit New Zealand is due to make its maiden voyage to the Bay of Plenty as one of 84 ships berthing at the Port of Tauranga during the 2016/2017 cruise ship season.

Ovation of the Seas headlines a stellar line-up this cruise season, with its capacity of nearly 7000 passengers and crew making a significant contribution to the expected 155,000 passengers and 66,000 crew due to pass through the port this summer.

The Royal Caribbean vessel, which stands at nearly 350m long, will be in the region on Boxing Day and two other visits during the peak season. It’s joined by a brand new vessel, Seabourn Encore, which is making its debut in the Bay for two days in February.

The news, released in the Cruise Economic Impact Report, comes hot on the heels of the recent announcement that five cruise ships will be berthing in Tauranga for an overnight stay – a first for vessels of this size and class.

Tourism Bay of Plenty (TBOP) CEO Kristin Dunne says the cruise ship season is one of the most visible parts of the tourism industry and “a perfect opportunity to showcase the unique attributes of the Bay to the world”.

Cruise is the third largest inbound tourism market to the country and brought in a record 254,409 passengers to New Zealand during the 2015/2016 season. Of that number, the Bay played host to 164,300 visitors – a 10% increase on the last year’s figures.

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The season not only boasted an increase in visitors, due to larger ships to the region, but also saw a 12% increase in passenger spending – a total $39 million.
Kristin says one of the reasons the Bay of Plenty is a chosen destination for cruise lines is because of the region’s proximity to other global tourism attractions, such as Rotorua and Hobbiton in Matamata.

However, she adds, there is no question that the Bay is getting its share of the benefits, with statistics showing that 50% of passengers choose to stay locally – taking a tour around the region with local operators or exploring independently. 

“The one-day ‘taste’ of our area is so important because many cruisers return independently, and also spread their experience by word of mouth or social media to friends and family. As such, we all need to work together to ensure cruise passengers arrive to a vibrant, welcoming city. 

“Our role is to ensure passengers and crew have a great visitor experience, and as part of this TBOP will be working collaboratively with organisations such as Mount Mainstreet and Downtown Tauranga to guarantee retailers, hospitality businesses are sufficiently prepared to host our guests.”

The 2016/2017 cruise ship season will see a total 69 days of ship visits, including overnights with Celebrity Solstice and a double ship day on February 5 with Ovation of Seas and Emerald Princess, which is expected to bring in a combined total of 9500 visitors in one day.

To effectively manage the increase in capacity and ensure the season is a success, Kristin says collaboration is essential, as is a redevelopment and upgrade of the I-PORT to include an official visitor centre.

“We are working closely with Tauranga City Council, the Port of Tauranga and local tour operators to ensure safe movement of passengers in our region and to manage the volumes of visitors arriving from a service perspective.”

Cruise Economic Impact Report: 2015/2016 season

NATIONAL:
254,409 passenger arrivals (a record 26% increase)
$484M in value added spend (11% increase)
138 voyages (9% increase)
Increase in visitors from Australia, Great Britain, Germany, China, and New Zealand.
 
BAY OF PLENTY:
164,300 passengers (10% increase)
$39M in cruise visitor spend (12% increase)
 
Figures supplied by Cruise NZ
 
--ENDS--

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