Insights - 2 September 2022
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SUMMER CRUISE RENAISSANCE FOR NSW
NSW is preparing for a resurgent summer cruise season, with 46 ships bringing economic opportunities back to its ports.
Visiting international ships are set to make their first seasonal deployments and stopovers in more than two years, joining the home-ported vessels already forging the cruising recovery.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Managing Director Australasia Joel Katz said: “As we move into spring and summer, we’ll soon see more of the international cruise ships that we’ve been missing over the past two seasons.
“Each visit will bring new visitors and new opportunities for local communities, helping to rebuild an industry previously worth more than $5 billion a year to the Australian economy.
“Cruising lines are reporting new-to-cruise bookings are unprecedented and bookings are continuing apace. Passengers are excited to be back at sea."
CLIA last week hosted more than 500 industry delegates from across Australia and New Zealand at its Cruise360 Australasia conference in Sydney, the first time the region’s cruise community has gathered for more than two years.
Click here to watch a Cruise360 wrap video.
The event also helped launch CLIA’s Cruise Month campaign, promoting cruising opportunities throughout the month of September.
Cruise lines and cruise retailers are mounting #LoveCruise marketing campaigns that invite travellers to explore new cruise holiday ideas and book itineraries.
It's the first time Cruise Month has been held in Australia since 2019 and it will progress through four themes: Ocean Cruising (4-10 September), River Cruising (11-17 September), Expedition Cruising (18-24 September) and Luxury Cruising (25 September – 1 October).
EXCITEMENT BUILDS AT NSW PORTS
Following a successful winter cruising season in NSW, which saw Newcastle and Eden welcome ships for the first time outside the summer period, the cruising renaissance is set to bring economic benefits to visitor economy businesses in Sydney and regional NSW.
Operators in Eden were excited to welcome more than 1500 passengers from the Coral Princess in July, with a market being held in the town's main street.
“Guests reported receiving a warm welcome from the Eden community where businesses have been looking forward to the return of cruising to add impetus to the recovery of its tourism economy,” a spokesman from Princess Cruises said.
The 2022-2023 season currently has 34 ships confirmed to visit Eden. Cruise Eden coordinator Debbie Meers said an estimated 72,000 passengers could visit the town and inject an extra $20 million into the local community.
NSW has nine cruise ports along its scenic coastline, which is known as the 'Blue Highway'. Each offers striking natural beauty and unique experiences for visitors.
Sydney is Australia’s cruise gateway and one of the world’s most beautiful destinations, with its iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and pristine beaches. The Harbour City is complemented by eight beautiful ports along the NSW coastline — Eden, Batemans Bay, Kiama, Wollongong, Newcastle, Trial Bay, Coffs Harbour and Yamba.
NEW GUIDE HELPS NSW BUSINESSES CAPTURE
CRUISE EXCURSION SPENDING
Destination NSW has created a new resource to help visitor economy businesses capture passenger spending in the state’s network of cruise ports.
‘Quick Tips for Creating Cruise Shore Experiences’ introduces the cruise market opportunity to visitor economy businesses such as tours, attractions, restaurants and retailers.
Destination NSW collaborated with Port Authority of NSW to develop the new guide, which provides practical tips to help businesses tailor experiences and sell them through the cruise distribution network.
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said the cruise industry had generated a total expenditure of $1.55 billion into the visitor economy in 2019.
“The NSW Government is committed to rebuilding the cruise industry in key NSW regions and potential emerging destinations,” Mr Franklin said.
“Education, through initiatives such as the NSW First ‘Quick Tips for Creating Cruise Shore Experiences’ guide, is vital to enhancing our capability to cater for the cruise industry and capitalise on shore experience spending in the visitor economy."
Key among the plethora of opportunities for NSW destinations are selling exclusive, tailored cruise experiences to cruise ship passengers in ports, building awareness of the destination and its experiences, and inspiring high-value travellers to create positive word of mouth and book return visits to those destinations.
“NSW is the home of cruising in Australia, with nine vibrant cruise ports on its coastline,” Mr Franklin said.
“Destination NSW research shows approximately 20 per cent of cruise visitors return independently to ports they visit on cruises, highlighting the long-term uplift which cruise shore experiences deliver to regional visitor economies.”
Cat Balou Cruises owner Lana Wills, based in Eden, said ‘Quick Tips for Creating Cruise Shore Experiences’ would be an invaluable resource for suppliers seeking to add cruise tourism to their operations.
“The guide provides such a clear explanation of the relationship between passengers, cruise ships, ground handlers and the suppliers.
“Being able to highlight smaller ports like Eden to both the domestic and international cruise market is so wonderful for the development of regional tourism and encouraging return visitation.
“As a business already participating in cruise tourism we are often approached by others for advice when considering developing products for this market. It is so wonderful to now have a resource to not only refer to ourselves but to share with our networks.”
‘Quick Tips for Creating Cruise Shore Experiences’ is part of Destination NSW’s NSW First Program, whose purpose is to help visitor economy businesses develop, promote and sell great visitor experiences.
Click here to view 'Quick Tips for Creating Cruise Shore Experiences'.
CONTENT LIBRARY ADDS PORT EXPERIENCES
The Destination NSW Content Library has added a 'Cruise Port Experiences' section that is filled with inspiring cruise excursion content for media and industry access, with assets available for all nine NSW ports.
The Content Library is a free, easy-to-use resource for images, videos and copy collections, which can be downloaded for promotion of destinations, experiences and events across NSW.
There are more than 34,000 assets available to bring your content to life. To use the Content Library, you simply need to register for a username and password, then click on the search bar on the homepage and scroll down to the 'Cruise Port Experiences' section to access the individual albums that have been created for each port.
AUSTRALIAN CRUISE ASSOCIATION HOSTS
2022 CONFERENCE
The Australian Cruise Association is holding its 24th Conference & AGM in Townsville, Queensland from 7-9 September 2022.
Themed "Charting the Future", guest speakers include Gavin Smith (Royal Caribbean International), Marguerite Fitzgerald (Carnival Australia), Stuart Allison (Princess Cruises), Adele Labine-Romain (Deloitte Access Economics), Sarina Bratton (Ponant), Tim Jones (Celebrity Cruises) and Phillipa Harrison (Tourism Australia).
“This is such an exciting time for the cruise industry, globally and within Australia," said Jill Abel, CEO of the Australian Cruise Association. "It is opportune that we all come together in September to develop a clear roadmap of recovery for the cruise sector."
DESTINATION NSW LAUNCHES STATEWIDE
CO-OP MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
Marketing campaigns to drive visitation from the NSW coast to the country will be brought to life through the Feel New Co-operative Marketing Program.
Destination NSW is assisting 26 program partners across 28 local government areas and four border regions with bespoke marketing support aligned to its Feel New brand.
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said: “Regional NSW is home to some of the most unique and remarkable destinations in the world, so it is vital that we do everything we can to help showcase the attractions and experiences of these communities to a wide audience.
“Promoting destinations, products and experiences through our Feel New brand is instrumental in driving long-term social and economic benefits for the people of NSW and achieving the NSW Government’s vision of making NSW the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific.”
The Feel New Co-op Marketing Program includes two key streams of funding:
- $1,050,000 in total for marketing support for The Murray, Sapphire Coast, The Tweed and Broken Hill
- Local government area marketing (26 recipients) - $2 million for high impact campaigns to drive last-minute bookings, encourage visitor spend and increase length of stay.
All advertising will be delivered using the Feel New brand with visitnsw.com or Sydney.com as the call to action. In addition to matching the partner’s financial contributions for paid media, the NSW Government through Destination NSW will fund media fees and campaign development costs.
Click here to view the South Coast Feel New Co-operative Marketing campaign.
LEGEND OF STEAM LEADS HERITAGE EXPO
Australia's most famous steam train, Locomotive 3801, will cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the very first time on 25 September 2022, ahead of the Transport Heritage Expo at Central Station on 1-3 October 2022. Minister for Environment and Heritage James Griffin said: “There will be vintage train, bus and steamboat rides as well as fun heritage experiences. It’s great to see Sydney back in action with events like this, which is expected to draw more than 10,000 people into the CBD.”
ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY & PLACE PROGRAM
Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and groups can apply for funding to meet Closing the Gap targets thanks to the NSW Government’s $30 million Community and Place Grants Program. As part of the NSW Government’s 2022-24 Closing the Gap Implementation Plan, grants of up to $250,000 will be available to fund one-off projects including programs, equipment, vehicles and infrastructure. Applications will open on 5 September and close on 30 September 2022.
FEATHERDALE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS
Visitor economy stakeholders joined with Featherdale Wildlife Park this week to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Featherdale has welcomed millions of visitors since opening its doors in 1972. It features more than 2000 Australian native animals and is home to the world’s largest collection of Australian wildlife.
NEW COVID-19 RULES FROM 9 SEPTEMBER
National Cabinet has agreed to reduce the isolation period for COVID-19 positive cases from seven to five days following a positive test. Click here for caveats. National Cabinet has also agreed to remove the mandatory wearing of masks on domestic flights. These changes will come into effect from 9 September 2022.
COUNTING DOWN TO T20 IN SYDNEY
A huge flag has flown over Sydney Harbour, inviting cricket players and fans around the world to watch the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 at Sydney Cricket Ground. It's less than 50 days until the action begins, with the NSW Government securing six Super 12 matches, including Australia's opening match against New Zealand, plus a Semi-Final match for Sydney.
KEY OUTCOMES FROM TOURISM JOBS SUMMIT
Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell this week led a Tourism Jobs Summit in Canberra to discuss ideas for addressing workforce challenges in the visitor economy. Some of the key actions identified were reforming the migration program; encouraging people with a disability and those on an Age Pension into the workforce; incentivising employers to improve on-the-job training; and promoting tourism as a career of choice.
NORTH SYDNEY HOSTS FEAST FOR THE SENSES
A multi-sensory festival integrating avant-garde food, technology and live performances will be held at North Sydney's Greenwood Plaza on the first two Fridays and Saturdays of September. Feast for the Senses will include three zones featuring pop-up stalls and kiosks offering themed food bites and drinks designed by Sydney’s most celebrated degustation chef Nelly Robinson and Jack Peacock at Create Catering. The event is supported by the NSW Government’s Office of the 24-Hour Economy.
FREE SYDNEY ALL NIGHTER EVENT
Sydney is getting a free, late-night music and entertainment event featuring more than 100 of the country’s best DJs and live acts performing across 16 venues on 17 September. Hosted by hospitality operator Solotel and proudly funded by the NSW Government through the CBDs Revitalisation Program, Sydney All Nighter will bring together a diverse and inclusive line-up of national and local talent to showcase the best of Sydney’s safe and vibrant music and nightlife culture.
DESTINATION INSPIRATION EVENT SERIES
Destination Riverina Murray is continuing its partnership with Murray Regional Tourism to deliver another series of Destination Inspiration events. The speaker line-up will feature operators such as Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew, who owns Warramba Luxury Farm Retreat, plus a presentation on Destination NSW's NSW First Program. The events will be followed by a six-month mentoring program designed to accelerate the product development process and progress ideas into new or enhanced visitor experiences. The first event in the series will be held at Courabrya Wines, Tumbarumba, on 13 September 2022, followed by Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery on 15 September 2022.
STAY NSW & PARENTS NSW REGULATIONS
Stay NSW and Parents NSW Vouchers were developed to encourage NSW residents to go out and enjoy local attractions and activities. While the NSW Government encourages individuals and industry to work together for their communities, it is important to do so under the terms and conditions of the program. Vouchers are for residents 18 years and older. Vouchers must be used by the person who has registered to receive the voucher and cannot be transferred to or used by anyone other than the registered recipient. Vouchers can only be used to contribute towards the cost of goods or services purchased and cannot be ‘gifted’ to the business or used to purchase a gift voucher.
NEW PROGRAM TO GET WINE TOURISM READY
Wine Australia has launched a free online course to help Australian wineries welcome back international travellers. Wine Tourism Ready provides expert guidance in six modules, with 21 wine-specific tourism lessons covering topics ranging from establishing experiences to mastering marketing for global audiences. Prior to COVID-19, Tourism Research Australia estimated one in eight international tourists to Australia visited at least one winery in 2018–19. Wine Australia General Manager Marketing Paul Turale said: "Now is the time to capitalise on a more open visitor economy and create new avenues for business."
RETAIL SPENDING RISES
IN NSW
New Australian Burea of Statistics data shows retail spending in NSW rose 1.3 per cent in July. Australian retail turnover also rose 1.3 per cent, the largest rise in four months. Ben Dorber, head of retail statistics at the ABS, said: "Turnover rose in five of the six retail industries in July 2022. This shows that, despite cost-of-living pressures, households are continuing to spend." Department stores had the largest rise, up 3.8 per cent, followed by clothing, footwear, and personal accessory retailing (3.3 per cent), cafes, restaurants, and takeaway food services (1.8 per cent), other retailing (1.6 per cent) and food retailing (1.2 per cent).
WEEKEND SUNRISE VISITS
TWEED REGION
The Tweed region will be showcased on Weekend Sunrise this weekend. Weather presenter James Tobin will visit the region during JT Travels NSW, a recurring segment created in partnership with Destination NSW. Mr Tobin will film the weather live from Tumbulgum on 3 September and Kingscliff on 4 September 2022. Weekend Sunrise is one of Australia’s highest rating national breakfast programs.
TRIAL LATE-NIGHT PRECINCT FOR ENMORE
Venues offering live entertainment will be able to stay open later as part of a three-month trial of the state’s first special entertainment precinct at Enmore Rd in Sydney’s inner west. Inner West Council’s trial will run until November and aims to support live music and further promote Enmore Rd as a thriving precinct. Liquor & Gaming NSW has partnered with the council to extend liquor trading.
VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS
SYDNEY AIRPORT WELCOMES THAI AIRASIA X: Sydney Airport and Thai AirAsia X have announced a new, four-weekly direct Sydney to Bangkok service. Learn more
ALFRESCO RESTART REBATE: Small and medium food and beverage businesses have until 16 September to register for the NSW Government's Alfresco Restart rebate. The rebate of up to $5000 can be used to create, expand or improve outdoor dining areas. Eligible businesses can claim for expenses incurred between 14 October 2021 to 30 September 2022. Learn more
NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT AND HARNESS UNDERWATER FORESTS: Marine ecosystems and coastal communities will benefit from increased investment and restoration projects as a result of the new NSW Blue Carbon Strategy. Learn 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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