‘The NZ$484m cruise industry is incredibly valuable to New Zealand tourism, with the number of passengers growing by 48% in the past five years,’ Bennett said.
‘In 2017-18 we are forecast to enjoy a season with upwards of 280,000 cruise ship passengers, injecting more than NZ$500m into the economy,’ she said.
Bennett said many smaller parts of regional New Zealand are benefitting from increased cruise ship visits.‘We need to continue to support and encourage this growth,’ she said.
The conference theme is ‘Portal to Success’ and will feature panels from large and small ports, providing insights into what makes their destination work and what plans they have to make their port even more cruise friendly.
Cruise New Zealand executive officer Kevin O’Sullivan said Bennett’s appearance at this year’s fifth annual conference underscores the importance of cruise to the New Zealand government.
O’Sullivan said a highlight of the conference will be the release of Cruise New Zealand’s 2016-17 economic impact report.
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