For the first time in five years a cruise liner will dock at Port Nelson, a significant step in the region capturing some of the lucrative cruise ship market, says Nelson Tasman Tourism.
Two German luxury liners will arrive in February and March next year, with another confirmed to visit on Christmas Eve 2013. NTT chief executive Lynda Keene says the bookings are great news for the region as the industry records staggering double digit growth over the past three years in New Zealand.
NTT worked with Port Nelson to secure the bookings and Lynda says the opportunity for growth is huge. “That’s just the start. We think there is a lot of potential around that and we’re targeting ships at 1000 passengers or less, the high end of the market.”
The ships coming here this summer will have between 450-500 passengers with 80 per cent likely to do activities on-shore.
“We’ve got some ideas about creating an experience for them when they get off the ship, based around the creative arts and craft beer trail here in Nelson,” says Lynda.
The news comes as the tourism industry reports major shifts in the likely visitors to our shores. Nelson mayor Aldo Miccio attended the Tourism Industry Association summit in Wellington last week where the message was “get ready for change”.
“We were told that the market has shifted dramatically in the past 12 months. Visitors from the United States and Europe have dropped off but it will be offset by a 33 per cent increase in tourists from China and an increase from Australia,” says Aldo.
Lynda says NTT identified Asia several years ago and has already been working to bring Asian tourists to Nelson and Tasman. “We’re not responding to these trends, we actually identified these trends 12 to 24 months ago and started that work. We are clearly aligned with what is happening internationally but we think our traditional markets will still be key for us this summer. That and domestic tourists, especially from Canterbury.”
A major NTT domestic campaign with Air New Zealand is due to start on Thursday says Lynda as recent research reveals almost 70 per cent of New Zealanders are committed to seeing more of their country, according to AA Travel.
In more good news for the regional tourism promoter, the prime minister backed public money being spent on promoting the country and its regions, according to Aldo.
“John Key laboured the point that public money should be spent on attracting tourism because it has direct and indirect benefits to local businesses. Developing our brand through tourism overseas also helps our exports. It should be seen as the branding of our economy. Because we are a food-producer it’s about safe food and high standards, which all comes across in our clean, pure image.”
