With three ships in Sydney Harbour, the NSW Government today chose to show its love for cruising, claiming the local cruise industry had a record-breaking $4.41 billion share of the 2023-24 season, up 60.4% from the previous financial year.
Cruise Lines International Association produced figures which showed the industry was making a record-breaking $8.43 billion contribution to the Australian economy and supporting 26,000 jobs – a huge increase.
Ports Minister Jo Haylen even renewed speculation about increased capacity, with reports a third berth for big ships might be not too far off.
Quite where is still a matter for The Port Authority of NSW, which has been scouring the harbour for years for such a site. Minister Haylen has set up a Cruise Industry Advisory Panel headed by Port Authority CEO Captain Philip Holliday and including cruise industry executives to also examine increasing capacity at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
Reports say Newcastle and Garden Island, owned by the Royal Australian Navy, have been ruled out.
The big show of love followed criticism after a major report from Destination NSW into the future of the state’s tourism which failed to mention the word cruise once.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the Australian Cruise Association (ACA) released data saying the 2023-24 cruise season saw the largest economic return to NSW that has ever been recorded – smashing even pre-COVID figures.
And despite a reported drop in capacity of 5 per cent, this growth is expected to continue over the coming summer with 1.2 million passengers and crew from 312 cruise ship visits set to sail into NSW ports.
A statement from the Ports Minister’s office pointed out that The Sapphire Coast is also set to benefit with 25 cruise ship visits bringing 43,000 passengers and 20,000 crew to the Port of Eden, injecting a potential $12 million into the local economy.
Newcastle, too, will see an increase in international visitors with 12 cruise ship visits, bringing 12,500 passengers and 6500 crew who can take advantage of the diverse array of shore excursions to explore the best of the Hunter region and nearby coastal towns.
The report also showed a 50% jump in jobs with the industry supporting employment for 13,714 full time jobs in NSW over 2023/24.
Minister Haylen said: “NSW is Australia’s Capital of Cruise, more than half of our nation’s cruise spend is retained right here in the NSW economy.
“The season ahead will see even more international cruise ships visit NSW, and it shows a growing momentum for the cruise industry as passengers get back on board post-pandemic. This year we will see 23 maiden cruise ship arrivals to NSW ports, bringing hundreds of thousands of passengers eager to explore Sydney and our state.
“There’s been some excellent growth in this industry, and our new panel will help the cruise industry continue to grow sustainably in the years ahead.”
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz added: “Cruise tourism is now worth $8.43 billion a year to the Australian economy – billions of dollars more than previous years – and it supports more than 26,000 jobs in communities around our coasts.”
Port Authority of NSW CEO Captain Philip Holliday said: “The overall outlook for the summer cruise season is positive, we will see a softening of cruise ship visits of around 5% however we will harness this opportunity to plan for the 25/26 season that already is trending upwards.”
Business Sydney Executive Director Paul Nicolaou said he was pleased that the NSW Government was now actively seeking a Sydney Harbour deep water location for a third cruise facility to allow for future growth.
Mr Nicolaou said cruising had contributed $2.7 billion to the NSW economy in 2023 — the bulk of it in Sydney — with media reports that the annual contribution had since surged to more than $4 billion annually.
“We know that cruise passengers, both locals and overseas visitors, love the Sydney Harbour experience of sailing into or out of the world’s finest harbour,” Mr Nicolaou said.
“We also know that cruising is a vital element of the visitor economy that benefits many businesses and supports thousands of jobs in the ‘cruising ecosystem’.
“Visitors sailing into Sydney or leaving on a cruise from our wonderful city typically spend several days in Sydney pre or post cruise.
“This represents a great summer boost for pubs, restaurants, accommodation, tourism attractions and point-to-point transport operators.
“It is also why Business Sydney has consistently advocated for light rail services from Circular Quay to Surry Hills to be made fare free.
“Our cruise guests could then really discover what Sydney has to offer by easily connecting them to the city’s retail and dining hubs.”
In port today are The Queen Elizabeth, the Disney Wonder and the Pacific Adventure.
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