FIRST INTERNATIONAL CRUISE SHIPS RETURN 
TO NSW WATERS 

International cruise ships will return to NSW waters from 17 April 2022, following a two-year absence. Three water cannon tugs will send huge plumes of water into the air to salute the first ship to sail into Sydney Harbour on April 18, P&O's Pacific Explorer, which will arrive at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at 10.30am.

President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Marguerite Fitzgerald said: “Seeing Pacific Explorer sail into Sydney Harbour will be an emotional moment for our employees, many thousands of guests and our numerous cruise suppliers, travel agents and entertainers."

Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said: “The cruise industry is a significant contributor to the NSW economy, an important part of our tourism industry and a major employer. I cannot wait to see cruise ships safely re-enter our state’s harbours and our local businesses welcome back those seafaring travellers.

“Not only is this announcement important to industry and their passengers, cruising supports our tourism operators, hospitality industry and all those local suppliers who help with the enormous task of re-supplying ships."

NSW has led the charge in planning for the safe resumption of cruising. This work has been done in close partnership with officials from the Australian, Victorian and Queensland Governments and cruise industry operators.

The priority for all the parties involved with the resumption of cruising is to ensure strong safeguards are in place to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. The protocols include:

• All passengers over the age of 12 and crew will need to be fully vaccinated to board domestic and international cruises (as defined by the Commonwealth for international border entry requirements)
• All passengers and crew will be required to have a negative COVID-19 test before embarkation and will require the wearing of masks at embarkation and disembarkation
• COVID-19-safe plans will be developed for all shore excursions, which will consider the specific needs of local communities, particularly regional communities
• COVID-19-safe plans have also been developed for disembarkation of any COVID-19 positive cases and close contacts
• Cruise operators will provide for a range of enhanced on board public health measures to reduce the risk of transmission, including information to travellers about COVID-19-safe practices including social-distancing, enhanced cleaning and the availability for on board COVID-19 testing.

The cruise industry contributed an estimated $3.3 billion total expenditure to the NSW economy and more than 11,000 jobs to NSW in 2018-19. Read more

BIG FUTURE FOR EDEN CRUISE INDUSTRY

Consultation has commenced to transform the Port of Eden into a destination of choice for some of the world’s largest cruise liners.

Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott said: “The multi-award winning Eden Welcome Centre is the ocean gateway to the sparkling Sapphire Coast and beautiful Bega Valley and these upgrades will allow us to unlock the region’s full economic potential.

“With Eden strategically located between Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand cruise destinations, we know there is an appetite for increased cruise visits and modifications would allow larger vessels to add this beautiful part of NSW to their itineraries.

“We want to support local business and communities by better using the existing infrastructure at Eden to deliver greater economic opportunities for a region that has done it tough over the past few years – through drought, fires and the pandemic.” 

The proposed modifications at Eden Cruise Wharf include: 

• An increase to the current limit of 60 vessels a year to visit the wharf and region
• Allow vessels up to 370 metres long to berth (up from the current 325 metres) to accommodate some of the largest ships in the world carrying up to 6700 passengers 
• Allow vessels to stay at berth overnight seven days a week, similar to the current infrastructure approval for vessels less than 100 metres (embarking/disembarking passengers and general cruise ship activities would remain restricted to between 7am and 10pm)
• Allow non-cruise ships greater than 100 metres in length to carry out operational activities, such as loading and unloading.

Consultation with community groups and stakeholders over the next few weeks will inform an environmental assessment report for assessment and consideration by planning authorities.

The cruise industry complements the Sapphire Coast's existing visitor market of approximately one million visitors per year, with cruise passengers spending around $390 per day when on shore.

To register your interest for updates and be notified when you can have your say email EdenCruiseFacilityMOD3@portauthoritynsw.com.au

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER FOR
STAY NSW & PARENTS NSW 

Businesses are preparing for a busy Easter, with accommodation and flight bookings across travel hotspots almost back to pre-pandemic levels and more than 3.5 million Parents NSW and Stay NSW vouchers redeemed by NSW residents. 

Australian Tourism Industry Council deputy chair Daniel Gschwind said: “That much-talked-about pent-up demand for tourism and leisure experiences is certainly being activated. We are in a little bit of a sweet spot in the sense that many Australians are still somewhat reluctant to go overseas and they’re waiting for a bit more certainty."

IHG Hotels & Resorts is capitalising on the opportunity provided by the NSW Government with a ‘Twice as Nice’ initiative offers a $50 value-add when consumers use their $50 Stay NSW or Parents NSW vouchers at one of 16 participating IHG hotels in NSW.

IHG Vice President Commercial, Japan, Australasia, Pacific Dean Jones said: “The NSW Stay and Parent vouchers offer fantastic support to help boost the economy and reward people for their resilience. For us, launching the 'Twice as Nice' campaign is an additional layer to recognise parents and travellers across the State by doubling the value of their vouchers to ensure they have the break they deserve.”

The Parents NSW program provides eligible households with at least one school-enrolled child where home learning took place in 2021 with five $50 vouchers, which can be redeemed at Discover NSW and Stay NSW registered businesses.

Additionally, NSW residents are eligible for a $50 accommodation voucher to use across the state as part of the NSW Government’s $250 million Stay NSW program.

Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said: “The Stay NSW voucher is a fantastic incentive for NSW residents to get out and explore the incredible cultural and natural wonders of their home state or even experience what it’s like to be a visitor in Sydney with a staycation in one of the world’s great CBDs.

“The NSW Government is committed to supporting our accommodation providers, who have experienced consecutive years of hardship with natural disasters and the pandemic. This initiative will provide a much-needed boost to the sector.”

People can pool the $50 Stay NSW Vouchers with relatives or friends, with no redemption limit. The vouchers are valid until 9 October 2022.

GREAT SOUTHERN NIGHTS REIGNITES LIVE MUSIC IN NSW

Across March and April 2022, over 1000 Australian artists performed more than 500 gigs for thousands of music lovers as part of Great Southern Nights, reviving live music across NSW and supporting thousands of NSW jobs across local communities.

Destination NSW, in partnership with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), delivered the initiative to venues across NSW.

Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said: “Live music supports an entire ecosystem of our visitor economy, from artists and crew to venues and their staff and suppliers, to surrounding businesses and whole communities, which is why the NSW Government launched the inaugural Great Southern Nights initiative back in 2020. This year, Great Southern Nights has once again helped to rebuild and reinvigorate live music and provide practical support for the music industry following the challenges of the past two years. It has also provided a much-needed economic boost to our regions, which is key to our recovery roadmap for the NSW visitor economy.”

ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said: “Great Southern Nights has certainly played a major role in reigniting the NSW live music scene after an extraordinarily challenging time for the industry. ARIA is so proud of the initiative and what it has achieved despite a raft of challenges. It’s well and truly made a difference to the lives and livelihoods of artists and communities across the state."

George Sheppard, who performed in the Northern Rivers region, said: “Thanks to Great Southern Nights, we were thrilled to play our first NSW headline show in years at The Kingscliff Beach Hotel. As we all know, music is a great tool for healing and it was so wonderful to see families in the crowd smiling, singing and having a fun night out together. Great Southern Nights is a fantastic program assisting the music industry to return to live stage after a decimating few years and in turn enables them to bring some much-needed joy back to their audiences.”

VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS  

FARE FREE 12 DAYS OF EASTER: The NSW Government is giving Greater Sydney commuters free public transport across Metro, train, bus, light rail and ferry services during the school holidays. Use your Dine & Discover, Stay NSW and Parents NSW vouchers to get the family together or gather your friends and take advantage of free travel on the Opal network throughout Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra from 14-26 April. Read more

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR NSW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AWARDS:  Outstanding international students, education providers, businesses and community organisations who support the NSW international education sector are encouraged to submit their nominations for the 2022 NSW International Student Awards. Read more

NSW RELEASES AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST INVESTMENT IN KOALAS: The NSW Government has released its new $193.3 million Koala Strategy, backed by more than 30 actions to conserve and grow koala populations. Read more

ORANGE WINTER JAZZ FESTIVAL: Get set for a long weekend of great music and fine wine in picturesque Orange this winter. The beautiful country township will play host to the Orange Winter Jazz Festival from 10-12 June. Read more

SCULPTURES BY THE BUSH: The annual competition is being held across the Blayney Shire from 8 April to 1 May. Visitors and locals are invited to explore the region and see the sculptures, which are created under three classifications - the Hay Bale Art Challenge, a Farm Art Challenge and the Scarecrow Competition. Read more

MOREE ON A PLATE: The festival of flavour will showcase the vast array of food and wine produced in Moree and the surrounding region on 7 May. Read more 

SHOALHAVEN TO HOST CELEBRATION OF FOOD: Launching at Arthur Boyd’s Bundanon on 3 May, the event will feature chefs including Giovanni Pilu (Pilu at Freshwater), Alessandro Pavoni (Ormeggio at The Spit) and Peter Doyle (EST) will work alongside local chefs to produce food and wine events against a backdrop of beautiful accommodation, restaurants, wineries and breweries. Read more

FOLLOW DESTINATION NSW ON LINKEDIN: Stay up to date with all the latest Destination NSW initiatives by following us on LinkedIn. Click here

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