29 April 2010

NZ cruise passenger numbers decline; outlook improves

AUCKLAND - The New Zealand cruise industry has recorded its second biggest year, with a total of 31,633 New Zealanders taking to sea for a holiday in 2009, according to new figures.

The International Cruise Council Australasia (ICCA) 2009 New Zealand Cruise Industry Report shows that overall New Zealand passenger numbers declined 19 percent compared to 2008, due to a one-off fall in local capacity and the global economic crisis.

ICCA general manager Brett Jardine described the drop in cruise passenger numbers as an aberration, with the New Zealand cruise industry expected to post healthy growth in 2010.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWeÃ¢â¬â¢re confident that reports of strong sales from our cruise line and travel agent members and additional local ship deployments this year indicate a strong growth trend for 2010,Ã¢â¬~ Jardine said.

The new figures show that in 2009 the South Pacific continued to be the most popular destination for New Zealand cruisers, attracting 12,149 passengers and accounting for 38 percent of the total cruise market.

Europe was the second favourite destination for New Zealand cruise passengers, experiencing 23 percent growth in 2009 and accounting for 18 per cent of the market with 5602 passengers.