Akaroa vote boosts NZ cruise business
Akaroa has been named the top cruise destination in New Zealand and Australia in the annual Tripadvisor cruise awards.
Picton rated third behind Sydney, and ahead of Melbourne and Tauranga, based on reviews posted on Tripadvisor’s Cruise Critic website.
This year Auckland dropped out of the top five after coming third in 2016.
Christchurchnz spokeswoman Caroline Blanchfield said the recognition was great for Akaroa, despite the added strain on the village’s infrastructure.
About 147,000 passengers visited Canterbury last cruise season, bringing an estimated $57 million to the regional economy. In the coming season Akaroa is scheduled to host visits from 77 cruise ships, sometimes two at a time.
Mid-december will be particularly busy, with four vessels carrying more than 8500 passengers and crew visiting over two days.
However, Akaroa will face competition from the Port of Lyttelton when a new cruise berth opens there in 2019.
Cruise New Zealand chairwoman Debbie Summers said the award reinforced Akaroa as an international cruise destination.
Marlborough Tour Company takes many cruise passengers on day excursions to vineyards, private gardens and on cruises of the Sounds. General manager Scott Mckenzie said Picton’s improved placing in the cruise awards was very pleasing.
He said the port’s sheltered aspect meant it picked up extra ship visits when the weather was bad and it was also able to handle very large cruise vessels.
‘‘It was nice to pip Auckland last year with Ovation of the Seas being able to dock at Picton whereas it couldn’t dock at Auckland.’’
A lack of port facilities for the supersized cruisers has been a problem, with Ovation of the Seas bypassing Canterbury and forced to tender passengers ashore in Auckland.
Income from the cruise sector nationally has doubled over the past five years to be worth an estimated $490m.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is planning research into the economic impact of cruise passenger spending in the regions.