Passengers disembark from the Celebrity Solstice at the Port of Tauranga before some make their way to Rotorua. Photo / NZME
Passengers disembark from the Celebrity Solstice at the Port of Tauranga before some make their way to Rotorua. Photo / NZME
Cruise ships aren't likely to return to the Bay of Plenty for at least another 11 months but a regional tourism boss says it's time to start getting ready.
Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Oscar Nathan told a Western Bay of Plenty District Council meeting last week there wouldbe no return of international visitors to New Zealand "until the Government says so" due to Covid-19 but this was the time to be prepared.
Councillor Mark Dean said there appeared to still be "an awful lot of nervousness about cruise ships returning" in light of Covid-19. He asked Nathan what was being done to allay such nerves.
Nathan, a board member of Cruise NZ and former Destination Rotorua boss, responded: "These are conversations we need to have and we haven't had them yet."
Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Oscar Nathan. Photo / Supplied
Nathan said for many people, the thought of cruise ship tourism brought memories of Ruby Princess and Diamond Princess - ships linked to some of the largest Covid-19 clusters on both sides of the Tasman and Japan during the pandemic's first wave.
"That's the last time anyone has really heard about cruises," Nathan said.
"The issue for us is we need to reimagine [cruise ship tourism] and realise that 85 per cent of the cruise market is back on the water.
"It's probably safer to be on a cruise ship on the Meditteranean than it is to walk around New Zealand at the moment," Nathan said.
Rotorua Economic Development and Destination Rotorua chief executive Andrew Wilson said that prior to Covid-19 about 35 to 40 per cent of cruise passengers coming into the Port of Tauranga made excursions to Rotorua.
"We also know that cruise ship passengers that disembarked at the Port of Tauranga spent $90 million in the 2018/19 season, making them a significant contributor to the Bay of Plenty region's visitor economy."
Destination Rotorua chief executive Andrew Wilson. Photo / NZME
This spend became the second-largest total spending by port in New Zealand.
Wilson said it was great Tourism Bay of Plenty was encouraging conversations about the return of cruise ships. "We're looking forward to working closely with Oscar to reshape what this could look like and how we as a region can cater for cruise ship visitors," he said.
"We are optimistic that the tourism market will come back stronger than it was pre-Covid, and already we are starting to see operators such as the Agrodome coming out of hibernation to re-open just in time for the summer holidays."
Te Puia general manager of sales and marketing Sean Marsh, however, did not believe the market would return to what it once was, which presented "both an opportunity and a challenge".
"We've used this as an opportunity to ensure we can provide an experience that literally changes people and how they may see the world, show manaaki (hospitality and support) and share insights into Te Ao Māori and our connections to the birthplace of tourism in Aotearoa," Marsh said.
Marsh said cruise-ship tourism was an important part of the overall mix of visitors to Te Puia as schedules and itineraries helped in planning staffing and demand levels that could affect a range of businesses due to the diversity of passengers.
Sean Marsh from Te Puia New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. Photo / NZME
"It is crucial that cruise returns to New Zealand shores, as many passengers use it to explore the country then return to regions for a more in-depth holiday."
Marsh said he anticipated the impact of Covid-19 would change how cruise passengers spent their time — specifically by focusing more on one location than visiting many for shorter time periods.
"We have already experienced this at Te Puia, with guests wanting to take more time and make more meaningful connections with our people and whenua," Marsh said.
Tauranga House of Travel owner-operator Shane Kennedy said there were already a lot of advanced bookings made in anticipation of the return of cruise ships.
Anyone returning to New Zealand must spend time in a managed isolation facility or quarantine unless arriving from a quarantine-free travel location.
Kennedy said cruise ships were an important segment of the whole leisure industry "but shouldn't just be valued on financial benefits alone. A restoration of the pleasure and lifelong memories cruising offers shouldn't be underestimated or undervalued".
House of Travel owner and operator Shane Kennedy. Photo / George Novak
There was a real risk of overthinking the market but changes already made due to Covid-19 were sensible and worked, he said.
"Fundamentally, every cruise passenger is now vaccinated and considered Covid-free. Likewise, if just about every resident here has taken the same approach . . . we should be planning to give this industry a warm welcome and allow the joy of cruising (and the massive benefits of hosting them) to be restored."
Kennedy agreed that now was the time to start getting ready for the potential return of cruise ships to the Bay next year.
Tourism Bay of Plenty covers the coastal Bay of Plenty from Tauranga to Whakatāne. Destination Rotorua looks after that city.
