Full steam ahead with ‘record’ FNQ cruise season
Cairns and Port Douglas tourism is full steam ahead as a “record-breaking” cruise ship season and discounted airfares attract visitors to the Far North.
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Cairns and Port Douglas tourism is full steam ahead as a “record-breaking” cruise ship season and discounted airfares attract visitors to the Far North through the traditional ‘off’ season.
Tourism Minister and Cairns MP Michael Healy said there have been 44,000 cruise ship visitors to the region so far this year.
“You only have to be in Cairns or Port Douglas on a day when a cruise ship docks to feel the energy they bring to town,’’ Mr Healy said.
“Cruise ship visitors take a trip to the Reef, go to local attractions, eat at local restaurants and
spend up at the shops.
“We’ve also got thousands of visitors booked to fly into Cairns in March on the discounted airfares as part of our post-flood recovery incentives.”
The cruise ships in port are sure to be a welcome sight for tourism and hospitality operators after a tough end to 2023 saw up $125 million wiped out from the industry thanks to Cyclone Jasper and its aftermath.
While bookings are generally comparatively low during this period of the year the revitilised cruise schedule as well as efforts from industry leaders drawing interstate visitors show positive signs moving into easter and into FNQ’s prime tourism season.
Mr Healy said Ports North had reported a “record-breaking” 26 cruise ships to visit Cairns during a 6-week period to the end of March.
“The $1 billion cruise industry brings benefits across Queensland with arrivals to Brisbane,
Cairns, Port Douglas, the Whitsundays and as far north as Thursday Island.
“We’ve got about 27,000 passengers scheduled to arrive in Cairns in March, that’s a 37 per cent increase on the same period last year.
“Latest figures show the average passenger spend per day on shore is $446 per person – that extrapolates to nearly $20m pumped into the local economy for every day a ship has been in
port this year.”
Mr Healy said more than 300,000 half price seats on flights into North Queensland were put on sale last month for travel between February and May in a partnership between Tourism and Events Queensland and Virgin Australia.
“Forty per cent of fares sold were for travel in March, giving an immediate boost,” he said.
“This is just one example of the many aviation partnerships that have driven visitors to the
region in the short term.
“TEQ has also partnered with Qantas, Jetstar, Webjet and Bonza this year already to promote
sale fares to the region.
“There are also $100 vouchers now available for travellers from right across Australia for hundreds of Tropical North Queensland tours – including Cape Tribulation experiences –
through the Tropical Dollars campaign that is jointly funded by the Federal and State
Governments.”
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