Cruise Lines International Association’s frustrations with the lack of progress or even it appears any recognition of cruising by the Federal Government, appear to be continuing, with CLIA saying that while an agreement on future travel requirements for Australians will be a positive step forward for the tourism sector, any framework must include provisions for domestic cruising in order to save thousands of Australian jobs and businesses.
In the meantime, cruising was not mentioned by PM Morrison in his post National Cabinet announcement on future Covid-19 measures and a phased easing of travel restrictions, with CLIA MD Joel Katz saying governments needed to include carefully managed domestic cruise operations within the early stages of their plans.
Katz added, “Cruise lines globally have committed to stringent new health protocols in response to Covid-19 and these measures are already working successfully in other countries overseas,” and, “Australia is now the only major cruise market in the world where no progress has been made towards a responsible cruise resumption”, adding, “We need urgent action from governments to save jobs and revive economic opportunities for communities around the country.”
Katz said Australia’s ongoing cruise suspension had already cost the local economy an estimated $6 billion in losses and put more than 18,000 jobs in doubt, adding, “The cruise industry has done an enormous amount of work to layout health protocols to underpin a responsible resumption of cruising in Australia,” and “We now need governments at the state and federal levels to agree on a framework that sets out the pathway forward for cruising as part of their wider plans for travel.”
CLIA says that it has been in discussion with the Federal Government for over 12 months, regarding a phased return of cruising and Global Travel Media has requested from CLIA the details of those discussions, what is on the table, what are the protocols being discussed, and what the stumbling blocks are to progress.
Sadly though, we have not received the information requested, only protocols described as a Member Policy from over a year ago, CLICK HERE, with it hoped those have progressed forward in that period, but it appears they may not have, with it also appears CLIA’s frustrations set to continue.
A report by John Alwyn-Jones, Crusie Editor Global Travel Media and Global Cruise News.
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