Tour guides stand up for cruise ships

THE cruise ship industry has defended its industry against claims of booze cruises.

Earlier this week, Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin called for a roundtable on future strategy, given the growing number of ships visiting Tasmanian ports — 94 vessels in the 2016-17 season.

“Large boats out of Sydney full of Australians paying $700 for a six-day booze cruise is not what the tourism industry wants,’’ Mr Martin said.

Tourism pioneer Simon Currant said the mega ships docking in Tasmanian ports were “brand wreckers”.

But Australian Cruise Association chief executive Jill Abel said the comments “don’t tell the story of the diversity of visitors that cruise ships deliver to our ports”.

Ms Abel said they painted “a rather lazy, outdated, onedimensional and, frankly, disrespectful picture of a boozy cruise passenger”.

Ms Abel said Tasmania had benefited from the ships into Hobart, Port Arthur and Burnie, with passengers spending about $140 per day at each destination.

“While some may like to pick and choose our tourists, I think it dangerous to paint a picture of elitism in our state.”

Long-time cruise ship guides Jennie Holmes, Lorraine Walker and Russell Mann told the Mercury that they were “concerned and disappointed” with the comments that some of the cruise ships were “booze cruises” or “swill ships”.

“Nothing in our many years of experience has ever indicated this,’’ Ms Holmes said.

“The feedback on our tours has always been very positive ... rewarding experience for all.”

Ms Walker said the increasing numbers of cruise ships carrying thousands of visitors has been celebrated by hundreds of Tasmanian small businesses.

“These visits are essential to the state’s economy — the Government spends thousands of dollars to promote our attractions acknowledging tourism is a major industry and essential to solving the employment crisis,” Ms Walker said.

Mr Mann supported Mr Martin’s call for a roundtable, provided it included a broad range of stakeholders “including those people who are on the ground at the front line”.

“Us guides will continue to promote all the wonderful attributes we have here in Tasmania regardless of how people arrive and how long they stay in the state,” Mr Mann said.

A State Government spokesman said the second annual progress report of the Tasmanian Access 2020 Strategy — designed to expand air and sea capacity for passengers and freight — would be released before September.