CLIA: Prolonged cruise ship ban threatens thousands of Australian jobs
Cruise Lines International Association Australasia is warning thousands of jobs are at risk over the cruise ship ban.
Analysis commissioned by CLIA says the suspension will cost Australia more than $1.4 billion in lost economic activity by mid-September and put nearly 5,000 jobs at risk.
Research by AEC Group says the cruise shutdown has already led to $500 million economic loss to the end of May.
If the cruise suspension continues beyond the current end date of September 17 and impacts the summer high-season, job and economic losses will be significantly worse.
It forecasts an additional 13,000 jobs could go due to economic losses of $3.8 billion.
"Cruise tourism is worth $5.2 billion a year to the Australia economy and supports more than 18,000 jobs. The suspensions that cruise lines and governments have enacted worldwide have been the right response but there is an enormous cost to those who make up the wider cruise community," said CLIA Australasia MD, Joel Katz.
"There are many thousands of travel agents, tour operators, ports and destinations, technical support providers, and food and beverage suppliers who support the cruise industry and are suffering enormous financial stress."
CLIA has written to the Australian government to emphasize the importance of the cruise industry to the job market and the wider economic value to a number of indirect industries that it supports.
CLIA also requested an extension to the JobKeeper scheme for travel agents and t travel industry workers.
"CLIA cruise lines are using this time to ensure we learn as much as possible from Covid-19 and develop the best possible response," Katz added.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025