24 Feb
TIANZ Recognizing Growing Cruise Industry Driven by Boomers
Worldwide, cruise passengers are expected to reach 14.3 million passengers this year, one million more than in 2009. In NZ, the cruise industry is growing faster than any other part of the tourism industry, and is worth $3 million/day in foreign exchange earnings. The important role played by older tourists in this growing sector was last week recognized by the NZ Tourism Industry Association when CEO Tim Cossar stated that “the cruise market is being driven by high spending Baby Boomers”. But Access Tourism New Zealand (ATNZ) has pointed out many times in the past (most recently, 6/11/2009, 9/12/2009, 13/1/2010, 3/2/2010), that our ports are ill prepared for an influx of older visitors, especially when it comes to improving access for ageing Baby Boomers, cruise passengers who are already disabled, and the increase in cruisers who will have a disability in future. Why? Because disability increases with age.
The rise in the number of cruise ships visiting New Zealand has been meteoric in the last several years. The New Zealand Ezine Inside Tourism (IT) reported earlier this month that Ports of Auckland processed nearly 6,000 passengers in a four day period, and that the city will host 60 cruise ships over the season (IT 771). Four Corners NZ travel news reports that 24 cruise ships are scheduled to dock in Lytellton this month, and some of these will also be visiting Kaikoura and Akaroa. And Canterbury is hosting three times as many cruise passengers than they did just three years ago, according to Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism chief executive Christine Prince.
Cruise passengers travelling to New Zealand tend to be in older age groups. 72% are aged between 55 – 74 years, while only 5% were under the age of 40 (2006/2007 Cruise Research, Tourism New Zealand). But even the age of non-cruise tourists to NZ has risen over the last decade (Tourism Leading Indicator Monitor August 2008), a trend likely to continue as the huge Baby Boomer generation retires and starts travelling more.
Along with an increase in the age of our visitors will come an increase in visitors with disabilities. In the cruise industry - whether as a result of recent successful consumer lawsuits overseas, or a dawning realization that travellers with disabilities have money to spend – cruise lines are slowly removing barriers to people with disabilities (CPA). Last year, Access Now, a Miami Beach-based organization that promotes rights for disabled travellers, settled a lawsuit with Carnival Cruise Lines over lack of accessibility on the company’s cruise ships. Access Now currently has pending lawsuits against several other cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Westtours and Costa Crociere. Several of these companies, however, are already in the process of improving accessibility for travellers with disabilities. Holland America, for example, has dedicated managers who oversee accessibility issues and requirements of guests with access needs. It would appear that these companies are recognizing the fact that wheelchair users and those with other disabilities already represent a legitimate segment of the cruise market.
Given the rise in cruisers, the ageing of cruise tourists, the consequent predicted rise in disability as cruisers age, and the increasing provision of access on ships resulting in more cruisers that also have disabilities, Access Tourism New Zealand advocates for an improvement in access at cruise ship terminals beyond mere compliance. There are a number of planned revamps of cruise terminals in New Zealand, including in Auckland and Lytellton. An inclusion of design principles that take into account the needs of people with disabilities and seniors can only but help the New Zealand cruise industry.
Why focus on travellers with disabilities? Because it is ageing Baby Boomers – who will experience increasing disability as they age – who have the disposable income to spend on-shore, and who will swell the current ranks of people with disabilities who already want to travel, but have few choices because of lack of provision. Because travellers with disabilities “see the benefit of taking a cruise because many ships now have accessible features for people with physical, sight, and hearing disabilities” (Tierney, June 2009), we can expect to see more such travellers coming ashore at New Zealand ports.
