With the impact of the cruise shutdown on tourism globally absolutely catastrophic, a Christchurch tour operator is among New Zealand businesses voicing their support through CLIA for a carefully planned revival of domestic cruise operations, as ongoing suspensions continue to impact regional economies.
Mark Gilbert, owner of Hassle-free Tours, which was forced to let go nearly 60 staff members due to the cruise suspensions, is the latest company to be featured in CLIA’s #WeAreCruise video series, which highlights the distressing economic impact suffered by local businesses and the 25,000 jobs that are at risk across Australasia while the cruise industry remains at anchor, with in the video released today, Mark talks of his experience of losing 75% of his customers that come from international cruise visitors to New Zealand.
In this very moving video Mark says, “Since the total ban on travel in New Zealand, we haven’t really operated at all and it has had a huge impact on our business,” adding, “However, we are slowly seeing some coastal cruising start operating in NZ this summer which gives us hope of our industry being able to take small steps to restart.”
CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz said cruise lines had committed to extensive new health measures to support future operations, and that it was now vital to plan for a phased and carefully controlled resumption of local cruising, adding, “Thousands of jobs are at risk in communities across New Zealand and Australia, including in communities where cruises are an important source of international tourism”.
He added, “While the suspension of cruising has been the right response to COVID-19, it is important that we plan a pathway towards resumption with
extensive health measures in place, so that we can restore economic opportunities to regional areas and remote communities around our coast.”
The Hassle-free Tours video is one of several to be released on social media in coming weeks as part of a campaign that aims to raise awareness and tell the personal stories of people within the Australasian cruise community, with CLIA’s Katz saying, “Given New Zealand’s success in stemming the transmission of COVID-19, we see an opportunity for a controlled reintroduction of domestic cruises – restricted to New Zealand residents only and with extensive testing and screening measures in place,” adding, “This will involve protective protocols against outside infection while borders are closed, and will create opportunities for economic revival for local businesses.”
The video is a “must view” and you can watch it by clicking here on either YouTube or Facebook.
A report by John Alwyn-Jones
