A summer of cruise ship arrivals, bringing tens of thousands of visitors to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, has begun, with the first of more than 100 port calls arrived today.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Director of Investment and Industry Pam Ford says:
“It was wonderful to see the city come to life when we welcomed the Pacific Explorer in August, with visitors shopping, dining, and exploring and increased foot traffic in places like Commercial Bay. The busy summer cruise season starts now, with up to 180,000 passenger arrivals expected through to June next year.”
“We’re looking forward to welcoming these visitors to Tāmaki Makaurau, along with the much needed spend and vibrancy that will return to central Auckland. This is positive for central city businesses and tourism operators.”
“Expenditure from cruise ships coming into Auckland more than doubled between 2015 and 2020, tipping over $200 million in the year ended June 2020; and two thirds of expenditure comes directly from cruise ship visitors benefitting local businesses,” says Ford.
Ford says: “This summer, our city and region has a busy events and activations calendar that passengers can enjoy when they arrive, alongside enjoying our hospitality, activities and attractions on offer.
“There are also areas of our city that have never looked better thanks to significant upgrades completed over the past two years, such as Te Komititanga Square, the new harbourfront park, the improved Karangahape Road, and the refurbished Britomart Station, that are all looking fantastic.”
Ford says the city centre has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and business and tourism operators’ welcome international tourists returning.
“Prior to the pandemic, 20 per cent of spending in the city centre stemmed from international visitors, and many of the 140,000 workers are coming into the city less days or still working from home.”
However, the upcoming summer will be challenging for businesses too. “We know that staff shortages and resource gaps will be pressure points for many businesses, particularly the tourism and hospitality industries, over the summer season,” says Ford.
Ford says there are initiatives underway to support the industry in this space, including a recruitment drive targeting students by Go with Tourism – an initiative that specialises in growing New Zealand's tourism and hospitality workforce – as well as the Government’s recently announced changes to immigration settings to support hospitality and tourism.
Businesses in and around Tāmaki Makaurau are encouraged to welcome cruise visitors. Businesses can regularly review the cruise schedule on the New Zealand Cruise Association website to know what dates ships are arriving and the size of the ship, to help businesses to plan and prepare for demand accordingly.
Further information:
- The cruise ship schedule for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Aotearoa New Zealand can be viewed on the New Zealand Cruise Association website. Including details of the ship, size, scheduled arrival and departure times: https://newzealandcruiseassociation.com/2022-2023-cruise-ship-schedule/
- Auckland port calls confirmed from October 2022 June 2023 season:
- 100+ port calls scheduled
- 180,000+ passenger capacity
- 40+ port calls will be ‘turnaround’
- 25+ port calls will be overnight