Cruise on track to smash 2020 target

Cruise on track to smash 2020 target
By admin


The Australian cruise industry continues to flourish as a new report revealed 2012 as its eighth consecutive year of double digit growth.

The 2012 Australian Cruise Industry Report showed the number of Aussies that took a cruise in 2012 surged by 11% on the previous year to 694,062. The growth figure surpassed all other markets apart from Germany.

Cruise penetration in the local market was the second highest in the world for the period at 3%, falling only slightly behind North America.

Speaking to a delegation of industry representatives aboard Carnival Spirit in Sydney today, Cruise Lines International Association Australasia general manager Brett Jardine said the new figures make the target of achieving one million passengers by 2020 look "more achievable than ever".

"If we maintain last year's growth rate over the coming years, we will reach one million passengers by 2016," he said.

CLIA Australasia chairman Gavin Smith said the last four years have seen the number of Aussies taking a cruise holiday more than double from 330,290 in 2008 to almost 700,000.

"Over the past decade, we've seen an average annual growth rate of 20% – a remarkable result for any industry," he said.

The outlook for the industry remains positive, Smith added, although he highlighted the importance of improved port infrastructure and supportive government policies as vital for its continued success.

The report revealed that in 2012, almost half of Australian cruise passengers were under 50, a quarter under 40 and one third were over 61.

Further insights found that the majority of passengers hailed from New South Wales at 43%, but the state with the highest penetration per capita was the Australian Capital Territory with 5.5% of its residents taking a cruise.

Australians accounted for 84% of cruisers on roundtrips from Australia, with the remainder of around 100,000 passengers made up of international passengers.

Latest News

  • Cruise

P&O rescues Rotary volunteers after collapse of Air Vanuatu

P&O Cruises Australia has answered a plea for help from a group of young Australian Rotary volunteers, stranded in Vanuatu following the collapse of Air Vanuatu. The students, many of them teenagers from Albury, NSW, were volunteering for a youth project run by the Hive Rotary Club Australia when the airline abruptly cancelled all flights, […]

  • Destinations

Intrepid continues expansions with launch of first DMC in Jordan

Intrepid has increased its presence in the Middle East with the opening of its first destination management company in Jordan. Based in Amman, the local team will operate Intrepid’s range of nine experiential small group tours in Jordan from this summer, with a view to expanding the range for 2025 and beyond. Zina Bencheikh, managing […]

  • Appointments

Minor hotels appoints Puneet Dhawan to key Asia role

Global hotel owner and operator Minor Hotels has appointed Puneet Dhawan as head of Asia as the group plots its growth in Asia and India. From July, Dhawan will be responsible for the performance of all Minor Hotels properties in Asia, working in close collaboration with the Minor Hotels senior leadership team and will report […]

  • Appointments

Abercrombie & Kent and Crystal appoint Evon Ler to director of sales, Asia

Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group have announced that Evon Ler will join them in the new role of director of sales, Asia. She will work closely with Tony Archbold (VP, Sales, APAC, Crystal) and Susan Haberle (VP, Sales & Partnerships, APAC, A&K) with trade support across the region. Ler comes to the A&K family with more […]