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New Zealand was one of only four international markets to record a double-digit increase last year, beaten only by emerging hot-spot China.
A record 90,184 New Zealanders sailed the world’s oceans on a cruise holiday in 2016 with a 36 per cent leap in passenger numbers helping to make the country one of the world’s top performing markets.
New Zealand was one of only four international markets to record a double-digit increase last year, beaten only by emerging hot-spot China.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia‘s 2016 Source Market Report shows that the New Zealand ocean cruise passenger market has gone from strength to strength, doubling since 2012.
New Zealand itineraries, driven by P&O Cruises’ longer season and more short coastal options, led the strong domestic growth (up 177 per cent), followed by the South Pacific (up almost 50 per cent) and Asia (up 27 per cent).
Releasing the report in Auckland, CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz said, “After another year of exceptional growth which saw New Zealand outperform other established key markets, it’s clear that cruising is continuing to grow in popularity as more capacity is deployed in the region.
“The most popular destinations for New Zealanders are the South Pacific, followed by New Zealand, which together account for almost 57 per cent of New Zealand’s cruise passengers – a growth of 80 per cent year-on-year.
“The figures show that New Zealanders are increasingly enjoying cruising for its easy, relaxing, and great value for money way to travel.”
Mr Katz called on government and key stakeholders to ensure that there is adequate infrastructure planning to sustain the growth, “With many of these local cruises calling at the regional ports around the New Zealand coastline, local communities benefit from the injection of valuable tourist dollars into the local economies, with cruise passenger spend in ports estimated to be in excess of NZ$85 million in 2016.”
The 2016 figures indicate that the market penetration equated to almost two per cent of the population taking a cruise last year, ranking New Zealand sixth in the world, ahead of many established cruise nations.
The annual source market report is based on data received from CLIA’s cruise line members, which account for more than 95 per cent of the world’s cruise passengers.
Angelos is the news editor for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). His role includes to monitor the hundrends of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skim the most important according to our strategy. He currently studies Communication, Media & Culture in Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens.
