While Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Managing Director Australasia Joel Katz, must have been disappointed with the ban extension on cruising in and out of Australia, speaking with eGlobal Travel Media, he said, “We were encouraged by the Minister confirming that they are engaging with the cruise industry for a phased resumption and that the restrictions can be reviewed, amended or removed once agreement is reached about the framework for a cruise restart, so the 3 month extension doesn’t necessarily mean no cruise could start ahead of that”.
In a statement, Katz was also encouraged by the Australian Government’s statement that it is working with the industry and state and territory agencies to develop a framework for the staged resumption of cruise ships in local waters, with the Australian cruise industry continuing to advocate for a phased and carefully controlled resumption of operations in 2021 with extensive new health measures in place.
He added, “Australia’s success in stemming Covid-19 has created the opportunity for a carefully managed and responsible pathway towards recovery,” and, “We need to work towards replacing the existing blanket suspension of cruise operations with an approval process that will allow cruise lines to progress a phased and tightly controlled resumption in 2021.”
Katz said that cruise lines have developed extensive new health measures in response to Covid-19, utilising the insight of leading medical experts internationally and locally and that the industry believes there is an opportunity to allow a phased resumption of domestic operations while international travel restrictions remain in place, adding, “Cruising can progress a responsible restart domestically within Australia, using ships and crew that have gone through all required quarantine procedures”, adding, “Ships and crew would then remain within the Australian safe-zone or bubble, offering local cruising to locals only, within Australia, until international borders reopen.”
Under proposals presented to government by CLIA and cruise lines, cruises would initially restart with Covid-19 protocols that match or exceed those of other sectors on land and this would include limited passenger numbers to ensure social distancing, 100% testing of guests and crew, and extensive screening, hygiene, and sanitation protocols.
Katz said, “Cruising delivers enormous financial benefit to communities around Australia and supports around 18,000 jobs across the country and we look forward to working with government to plan a careful revival of the country’s $5 billion-a-year cruise industry.”
A report by John Alwyn-Jones
……magic words – 5billion dollar a year industry