Debbie Summers, chairwoman of the New Zealand Cruise Association. Photo / Supplied
Debbie Summers, chairwoman of the New Zealand Cruise Association. Photo / Supplied
Debbie Summers is executive director IDNZ Destination Management and chair of the NZ Cruise Association
How would you describe 2021 for your business?
It has been the most dire year in our 40-year history of tourism operation. With our entire revenue supporting 45-plus highly skilled, full-time staff and literallyhundreds of Kiwis throughout NZ in the summer season dependent on our international borders being open, we quite simply have been unable to generate an income since March 2020 and have lost so many excellent people.
How is your business planning to tackle 2022?
We will continue to advocate hard for our sector working across industry, community and government for the badly needed revival and restart in 2022. We spent 2020 and 2021 working hard at survival and 2022 will be no different to that.
What will be the major challenges and/or opportunities for your industry?
Above all, Covid remains our biggest challenge. Knee-jerk decision making around borders, Covid variants emerging, not being reactive in regenerating our tourism and hospitality industry, severe lack of skilled tourism and hospitality workforce resulting in an almost complete collapse of our service sector being borne out in 2022 is a real possibility as is being an overpriced country unable to deliver in service and experience.
Falling behind, we are the very last country along with Australia to restart cruising, losing the fleet world over we now face extremely strong competition.
Our cruise industry partners closely with the bus and coach industry which has been extremely hard-hit, they urgently need more support. We cannot come back without them nor our hotel sector and the thousands of small business owners again all whom face immense challenges due to Covid.
Demand for cruising and travel in general has remained strong worldwide. The cruise sector has proven it can operate safely in a Covid world. With our high vaccination rates we can still become that safe destination that will ensure demand will be strong for New Zealand.
Cruise was a $570m a year industry in NZ before the pandemic. Photo / Grant Bradley
How do you think the Government has handled the Covid-19 crisis?
In early 2020 we went "hard and fast". This worked well. Our messaging was strong and reassuring as it was clear. However, more could have been done since.
Elimination was never going to be successful, we proved that. The definition of elimination still means zero to me.
Vaccination plus layered forms of health protocols work, the cruise industry demonstrates this with over 5 million cruising in a Covid world successfully.
We needed to have maintained the urgency about Covid that we had in March 2020. 2022 is a critical year for many New Zealanders barely hanging on to their livelihoods. We deserve this urgency and forward-thinking decision-making.
What are two key things the Government should do for economic recovery?
To follow the very quickest pathway to further opening our international air and maritime borders available to us, whilst focusing on fixing our chronic labour shortage will help aid our economic recovery.
I simply can't think of a single sensible reason why they (maritime and air) should not be treated equally. Cruise, given their extensive protocols and the vastly greater spaces to distance than flying, is inherently safer. We have a huge source market in Australia so why not get moving alongside aviation by way of urgency.
What was the most interesting non-Covid story of 2021?
Was there anything? I didn't notice. Actually on reflection – to watch and learn how 240 ships set sail again in over 80 countries since July 2020 with no super-spreader events onboard has been truly gratifying. From an industry so utterly decimated at the beginning of this to see this triumph is simply wonderful.
What are your predictions for 2022?
That it is going to be no walk in the park. It will be and is the greatest tourism struggle we will ever live through in my opinion and in order to move forward and restart we simply must have more free movement both in our skies and in our seas once more.
What's the worst mistake you've made in business?
It is not printable but it involves an email sent to the wrong client many years ago.
What would you rate as your greatest success in business?
Surrounding myself with people I greatly respect and like.
