Cruise overtourism fear unjust: Bonner

SUSAN Bonner, Vice President and Managing Director Australia and New Zealand at Royal Caribbean has addressed claims that cruise lines are contributing to the issue of overtourism, speaking during a panel session at the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit last week.

During the session, Bonner acknowledged that overtourism is an issue that the travel industry must deal with, but said that cruise lines have been maligned for being “floating hotels” and subsequently “we do get picked on a little bit”.

Bonner highlighted the importance of the role cruise lines play in working with both governments and communities to gain the right balance of visitation and prevent occurrences of overtourism.

“We come in, we talk with the community about what their needs are, infrastructure needs, guest experiences,” she said.

“We have diverted tourists to other locations in which there was a concern about the number of people that were entering… It’s about having conversation and collaboration so that this story doesn’t get ahead and have a negative impact on all of us,” Bonner added.

She warned that some destinations such as Dubrovnik and Iceland are “almost on the back foot” as a result of the ‘ Game of Thrones effect’ driving mass tourism spawned by the popular television show and amplified through social media.

“Specific locations aren’t ready to absorb that capacity,” she said.

Pictured: Quantum of the Seas, and inset, Susan Bonner.