Tasmania’s north-west has welcomed the arrival of the first cruise ship of the season, marking the start of the summer cruise period for the region.
Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth docked at the Port of Burnie on Friday, bringing thousands of passengers and crew members to the island state.
The ship is the first of 16 scheduled to visit the region.
“Cruise vessels contribute significantly to key sectors such as hospitality, tourism, transport and retail,” TasPorts CEO Anthony Donald said.
“With each visit, cruise passengers contribute to the region’s economy through spending on food and beverages, local tours, transport and entertainment, supporting the small businesses that make the north-west coast such a great destination.”
Donald said the state’s cruise tourism sector supported 542 jobs statewide in the last financial year.
“TasPorts remains committed to actively marketing Tasmania as a cruise destination,” he said.
“We are working closely with Tourism Tasmania and the broader tourism industry to attract more cruise visits and deliver ongoing benefits for regional communities.”
The port will welcome several more ships in the coming weeks, including the Norwegian Sun and Seven Seas Voyager.
