Australia is 100% open

CRUISE pax were warmly welcomed on Fri when Norwegian Jewel became the first ship to visit the NSW town of Eden since the recent bushfires.

Together with the return of Sun Princess to Kangaroo Island, the arrival means 100% of Australia’s cruise ports are now operating and ready to welcome visitors.

Eden has become one of the success stories of regional cruising in Australia and its passionate community has put great effort into welcoming cruise ships and creating experiences for their pax.

Having last year opened a new wharf funded by state, federal and local governments, the town has become a model for regions hoping to attract and support cruise tourism.

In all there are almost 50 cruise ports around Australia, many enjoying a greater number of ship visits as cruise lines increase the number of regional destinations in their itineraries.

Each ship visiting a regional destination brings a huge economic boost, often from international visitors who might not ordinarily visit these areas by land.

As we welcome Tourism Australia’s new “Holiday Here This Year” campaign, we hope cruising helps brings confidence to local tourism operators and plays an important part in the recovery of communities affected by fire.