New Zealand remains in a fight to win back cruise deployment in an intensely competitive global market, the New Zealand Cruise Association (NZCA) says.
Close-to-home cruising is welcomed by travel agents as a way of introducing more clients to cruise, and the association told delegates at its annual conference today that the outlook is improving for New Zealand voyages.
Association chair Tansy Tompkins says in her report that while cruise visitation remains well below where it needs to be, it is in a stronger position than a year ago. “The foundations for recovery are being rebuilt, and our task now is to convert that progress into deployment decisions for 2028/29 and beyond,’’ she says.
Twelve months ago, NZCA was working hard to ensure the scale of the problem was understood. Today, cruise is firmly on the agenda of cabinet ministers, central government agencies, Tourism New Zealand, ports, regions and industry partners.
. . . Big Blow
But Tompkins says it is important to remain honest about where the industry stands.
An association strategy document says New Zealand cruise visitation is down 40% in a globally growing sector, with a further decline forecast for 2026/27. The government’s Tourism Policy Statement notes that in the past season, New Zealand cruise visits were just over half the pre-pandemic levels.
The next critical decisions for 2028/29 and beyond are being made now. “This is not fundamentally a demand problem. New Zealand remains a destination cruise guests want to experience,” it says.
Aotearoa needs to be seen as predictable, competitive and straight forward to do business with, adds the report.
. . . The Solutions
NZCA says data and measurement systems need to be integrated more fully, education and engagement tools need to be systematised, national operational guidelines need refinement and regional operating models need to become more consistent. At the same time it wants transtasman collaboration to move from ‘goodwill into practical coordination’.
More broadly, ministerial commitment must be embedded across agencies, stakeholders must align around a ‘first enable deployment’ mindset, and fragmented cost and compliance settings must be simple, adds the cruise body.
