Environment Southland not relying on $2.9m cruise fees
Environment Southland could make nearly $2.9 million from cruise ship visits this summer, but it plans to run its budgets without relying on the income stream.
Cruise ships will be able to enter New Zealand from July 31 after more than two years of closed maritime borders because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Council chairman Nicol Horrell said he expected that not all the ships that were booked in would arrive and the council couldn’t budget on something that might not materialise.
Last year Environment Southland raised rates by 20%, citing the fact that it had been unable to collect marine fees as one of the reasons for the hike.
The proposed marine fees could not be taken into consideration when the council set its rates for this year, he said. ‘‘It’s difficult because none of the ships are sailing yet. If we get some during the year, that’s a bonus for the following year. But at the moment that funding is unrealised.’’
The council’s acting general manager for strategy, planning and engagement, Lucy Hicks, said there were 109 cruise ship bookings for the 2022 season, starting in October.
Those visits would equate to the council collecting about $2.9m in marine fees from the ships visiting Fiordland, Bluff and Rakiura/ Stewart Island.
‘‘However, there are no guarantees all of these will go ahead, as we may get cancellations, for various reasons, throughout the season,’’ she said.
‘‘Given ongoing uncertainty around the cruise ship industry and international travel . . . we will continue to manage our budgets without relying on this income stream.’’