Cruising tipped to return to Australia next month

Tourism Minister Dan Tehan has raised hopes of a long overdue cruise restart in Australia.

He hinted foreign cruise ships could return to Aussie waters when the existing cruise ban expires on April 17.

“I can see no reason why it won’t be lifted and I say to our tourism industry, our travel agents, given what we’ve heard over the last couple of days, I think we can all start planning for that resumption,” Tehan said.

It will be ‘a new dawn ’for the cruise industry, CLIA says.

“The Australian cruise industry has lost $10 billion over the past two years, and the absence of the ships has disrupted 18,000 jobs, so we are really hopeful now that the government will give us the green light,” said Joel Katz, of the Cruise Lines International Association Australasia.

Operators including Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia have welcomed Tehan’s comments.

The Federal Government is tipped to confirm the ban will end on April 17, and then a restart schedule for cruise ships will be handed over to state governments to manage.

Related News Stories :   CLIA hosts largest ever river cruise conference     P&O Cruises hails record Wave season cruise bookings     Bookings open for second Ritz-Carlton yacht     Cunard to sail first South America cruise in five years     MSC Cruises launches Abu Dhabi Formula 1 race packages     Watch: P&O Cruises newest ship Arvia named in Barbados  

Learn more about :   Western Australia ( N. America )     Western Australia ( Asia Pecific )     Western Australia ( United Kingdom )     South Australia ( N. America )     South Australia ( Asia Pecific )     South Australia ( United Kingdom )     Tourism Australia ( Asia Pecific )     Tourism Australia ( N. America )     Tourism Australia ( United Kingdom )