Tasmania is set to welcome 85 cruise ship visits this season, bringing an estimated 168,000 passengers and 62,000 crew to the state.
The figures were released at a pre-season cruise briefing at the Tasman Hobart on Wednesday, held ahead of the season starting in November.
Destination Southern Tasmania chief executive Alex Heroys said cruise remained a major contributor to the state’s visitor economy.
“For southern Tasmania in particular, 56 calls into Hobart and 12 into Port Arthur represent a significant injection of visitors into the city and our regions over the summer season,” he said.
“These passengers are spending with local tour operators, attractions, hospitality businesses, retailers and transport providers and that economic activity flows well beyond the waterfront.”
Heroys said cruises also helped spread visitors beyond Hobart, with passengers travelling on to places such as the Tasman Peninsula, the Huon Valley and Richmond.
The season runs from early November through to April.
Around 100 tourism operators, business owners and other stakeholders attended the briefing.
“It is a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the organisations involved in cruise, ask questions and better understand how local businesses can engage with and benefit from this important visitor market,” he said.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Amy Hills said the season created valuable opportunities for tourism, hospitality, retail and experience operators.
She pointed to Tasmanian Tour Guide Training being delivered by the Tasmanian Hospitality and Tourism Academy, with support from the council and TasPorts.
“Every positive interaction helps shape a visitor’s impression of our state and well-trained guides can play an important role in encouraging visitors to explore more, spend locally and hopefully return to Tasmania in the future,” she said.
This season’s numbers are down on last year, when 104 calls were expected statewide and more than 175,000 passengers were tipped to disembark.
Former TasPorts chief executive Anthony Donald said at the time that the 2025-26 season was worth an estimated $170 million to the state.
