As Sydney runs out of space to accommodate the cumulative amount of cruise ships sailing to Australia, the Sunshine State has turned out to be home to more cruise ship ports than anywhere else in the country and industry leaders say Queensland is set to be the big winner
Concept Design For The Planned Cruise Ship Terminal.
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “Sydney is pretty much full during the peak season. We continue to see double-digit growth in the sector. That’s where Brisbane, and Queensland, has the biggest opportunity,” Cruise Lines International Association general manager Brett Jardine said. [/pullquote]
During the Asian off-season, Queensland will be cashing in on the booming market of Chinese tourists taking cruises, as the cruise ships that are typically bases in Asian ports are likely to come to Queensland to operate in their off-season.
The Port of Brisbane is preparing a detailed business case for a $100 million mega-ship terminal at Luggage Point, at the entrance of the Brisbane River, and anticipates to start assembly next year to allow more cruise ships to visit.
Currently Brisbane doesn’t have the facilities to host lines over 270m long, but my 2020, the expected cruise ships over 270m long will grow by more than 60 per cents
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “We are seeking to develop a dedicated passenger terminal that would make Brisbane a major domestic and international cruise destination, bringing thousands of additional visitors to Queensland each year,” Port of Brisbane chief executive Roy Cummins said. [/pullquote]
Meanwhile, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is steaming ahead with plans for a cruise ship terminal at The Spit.
In 2015, Queensland received 275 ships and 645,942 passengers, up more than 140,000 compared to 2014, making Queensland the fastest-growing cruise market in the country.
In 2015, cruise passengers injected $749.7 million to the Queensland economy, this number is predicted to surge this year as different destinations, including Fraser Island and Gladstone, are added to cruise ship itineraries.
Over the next two decades the new Brisbane cruise terminal is anticipated to multiple the industry’s fiscal profits to almost $2 billion a year.
Cairns, Townsville and the Whitsundays are also keen to boost the number of liner visits.
