“Cruise will come back” - HLO’s Burnes

HELLOWORLD Travel Chief Executive Officer Andrew Burnes (pictured) says he’s confident that despite the current negative publicity around cruising, the sector will return stronger than ever after COVID-19.

Writing to members of Helloworld’s Australian travel agency networks last week, he warned that the re-emergence of international travel could be 9-12 months off (TD 17 Apr), suggesting destinations such as NZ and possibly some South Pacific countries could be among the first to open up to Australians.

“I never thought I’d be looking forward so much to hearing someone say bula to me as I do now,” he quipped.

Burnes cited Minister for Tourism Simon Birmingham, who told the ABC he expected “cruise travel...to be sitting right towards the end, if not the very last thing that is reactivated again, given the difficulties Australia has faced with the cruise sector so far”.

Burnes said comments like this, as well as the Ruby Princess “debacle” had caused a lot of consideration as to whether there will ever again be the huge demand for cruise product globally, and more specifically here in Australia and NZ.

“My answer is of course there will,” he said.

“Cruise has proven to be one of the most popular sectors of the leisure travel industry in the world...the product is popular, well-priced and delivers an allinclusive break that people enjoy”.

However, Burnes noted cruise companies will have to undertake significantly increased cleaning and disinfecting measures, as well as commit to much better onboard health facilities including immediate isolation capabilities, respirators and other near-ICU facilities, as well as stringent health checks for all embarking and disembarking passengers, and crew.

“The cruise companies will address these issues over the next 12 months,” he averred.

“I firmly believe cruise will come back, most likely from mid-2021 and beyond, once the operators have sorted out their safety and health issues,” Burnes added.