Cruising into Christchurch – Lucrative visitor segment triples

Cruise ship passengers are expected to pump more than $14 million into the Canterbury economy over the next few months, with a record 49 ships scheduled to dock at Lyttelton.

The cruise industry is the fastest growing segment of the Christchurch visitor industry with the number of cruise passengers visiting Canterbury set to triple to more than 100,000 next season, compared to 35,000 last season.

The 2007/2008 cruise season starts today with arrival of 1590 passengers on the Regal Princess. Another 48 ships are set to arrive in to Lyttelton Port between November and late March, including the Sapphire Princess with 2700 passengers and a new arrival, the luxury Mercury cruising with 1882 passengers on each of six visits.

Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism chief executive, Christine Prince says cruise passengers provide a huge boost to this region's visitor numbers from spring through to early autumn and many of these visitors are likely to return for a longer stay.

"More than 40% of cruise passengers come back as independent travellers, so it's vital that we give them the best possible experience when they first visit," she said.

Cruise New Zealand statistics show that Christchurch and Canterbury region will benefit from a direct $14,472,000 spend this season from cruise passengers who originate from the USA, Europe, Australia, Canada and Japan.

The steep growth in this lucrative industry has a two-fold origin - not only are bigger ships coming here, they are also coming more often.

"We need to ensure our region is totally cruise-friendly and welcoming. Cruise passengers need to receive good quality information about our destination before arriving here, and when they arrive they should enjoy the best possible experience," Christine Prince says.

"The pressure is on. Last season several ships had to bypass Christchurch and go to Timaru as we could not accommodate them. We also need to explore the potential of getting more cruise ships to Akaroa, a very attractive option for visitors.''

A steering group including senior representatives from Lyttelton Port, Cruise New Zealand and key tourism operators is meeting in Christchurch tomorrow. On their agenda is a wide range of topics including infrastructure, transport and how to enhance the passenger experience.

"We need to start planning now to ensure we can meet cruise passenger expectations in the future as the numbers visiting increase,'' says Craig Harris of Cruise New Zealand.

"It is exciting times. The entire country is benefiting from the boost in cruise ship numbers to the South Pacific.

"In two years we can expect to see vessels carrying 3300 passengers. Ten years ago the largest ship was 190m. Today the average length is 280m and is forecast to increase to 315m in four years," Craig Harris says.

ENDS

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