Hobart to give berth to 63 cruise liners during 2018-19 season

CRUISE ship visits to the state’s capital will increase this season, entrenching the state capital as an international tourism hot spot.

HOBART will host 63 cruise ship visits this season, entrenching the state capital as an international tourism hot spot.

Destination Southern Tasmania CEO Alex Heroys says the 63 ships is four more than last year, a 7 per cent increase, and could help encourage more people to make return visits here.

Five cruise liners — the Sea Princess, Majestic Princess, Radiance of the Seas, Noordam and Ovation of the Seas — will berth in Hobart during October.

Luxury vessels the Viking Orion and Crystal Serenity are also listed on the schedule.

Two visiting cruise ships — Rhapsody of the Seas and the Sun Princess — docked in Hobart.

Mr Heroys said there would be only a 0.3 per cent increase in passenger and crew numbers, despite the rise in the number of cruise ship visits.

“This shows that the strategy to promote Tasmania to higher end, lower capacity ships, is working,” he said.

“During the 2017-18 season, direct passenger spend for Hobart and Port Arthur was more than $27 million, with another $2.8 million spent by crew. This important part of the overall tourism sector increases the ability for many small operators to thrive, as well as assisting larger attractions to grow.”

Mr Heroys said showcasing Hobart and southern Tasmania to visiting passengers and crew increased the likelihood of them returning to the state.

“Over the last three cruise ship seasons, there has been an average of over 10,000 return visitors to Tasmania who have previously been here by cruise,” he said.

“This returning group has a 22 per cent higher than average spend while in Tasmania.”

Ovation of the Seas at Macquarie Wharf in Hobart. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

Australian Cruise Association CEO Jill Abel said Tasmania was internationally recognised as a destination offering “high-end products and really valued experiences”.

“International perspectives show that Tasmania is high on people’s desired list of places to travel,” she said.

“I see Tasmania as being an integral link to itineraries around Australia. We need to make sure all destinations in Australia are open to all travellers and encourage them to experience and spend their money in the best way possible.”

Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens marketing manager Tory Ross said visitors at the gardens spiked during the cruise ship season, with 61,000 people visiting last January alone.

“Not only do they bring additional revenue on cruise ship days through the restaurant and the botanical shop, but they’re also a market that’s more inclined to take a paid guided tour,” she said.