Cruise ship passengers are spending more and staying longer in the Northern Territory with the business infusing $54 million into the nearby economy last financial year.

The new figures were released this week as the heavyweights of the cruise industry accumulated in Darwin for the yearly Cruise Down Under Conference.

Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Adam Giles said the new statistics released by the national cruise industry association, Cruise Down Under, highlighted exactly how profitable the cruise business was to the Territory.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “Darwin receives almost 40 cruise ships a year with the cruise industry providing an influx of tourists into the region during the off-peak and shoulder season in particular,” he said. “Cruise ship passengers and crew undertake tours while in the Top End, visit local attractions and shop at local retail outlets, cafes and restaurants. “According to the new research, the average daily spend of passengers in Darwin was up to $288. As well as spending more, the number of passenger days in port also increased to an estimated 49,411. “We warmly welcome the cruise industry here to the Territory and we are certainly ready for more cruise ship traffic, including expedition cruise ships exploring our remote northern coastlines. “One of the centrepieces of our 2015-16 Budget the installation of a new shaded walkway that will allow cruise ship passengers to stroll from the terminal to the Waterfront Precinct in comfort. “It’s all part of the Country Liberals Government’s plan to drive the development of North Australia and build a $2.2 billion visitor economy by 2020.” [/pullquote]

Mr Giles said a cruise ship guest survey led by Tourism NT, Tourism Research Australia and Cruise Down Under amid the 2014-15 cruise season was released this week.

Some of the survey highlights include:

General fulfillment with Darwin among passengers overviewed was high, with more than nine in 10 passengers (94%) reporting they were either “fulfilled” or “exceptionally fulfilled”;

Parts of Darwin that evaluated most elevated incorporate wellbeing and security (97%); level of customer service (96%); and cordiality of local people (95%);

Sixty per cent of passengers said they were likely or prone to come back to Darwin and of these, 64% said they were likely or liable to do as such in the following two years;

Eighty-seven per cent said they would recommend a visit to Darwin to their loved ones.