30 May
NZ TIA Says Boomers Important to Cruise Market: Will NZ Upgrade Ports to Cope with Disabled?
The NZ Tourism Industry Association, in a press release welcoming a reduction in marine safety charges paid by cruise ships, has recognized the importance of Baby Boomers to this market. “This is a high value tourism sector, driven by high-spending and discerning international baby boomers,” said Tim Cossar, TIA Chief Executive. Eighty-one cruise ships and more than 112,000 passengers are expected to have visited New Zealand by the end of the 2009/10 season (year ending August), says Mr Cossar. In total they will make 479 port calls, with each cruise estimated to be worth about $1 million to the New Zealand economy. The sector is expected to grow by a further 30% in the 2010/11 season, with a record season forecast for 2011/12. Cruise visit are really expected to take of in 2014, when the Panama Canal is expanded so that bigger ships can pass through and potentially head our way.
Cruise passengers in New Zealand tend to be in older age groups (over 70% are 55 or older), and as Access Tourism New Zealand has pointed out before (most recently, 6/11/2009, 9/12/2009, 13/1/2010, 3/2/2010, 24/2/2010), 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. Certainly the cruise industry is very aware of access issues in cruising – witness the fact that a session on accessibility and cruising was one of the six breakout sessions at the recent UK Cruise Convention. Meanwhile, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, stipulates that the construction, acquisition and operation of all cruise and ferry terminals and vessels of signatory nations (including New Zealand) should comply with its accessibility provisions. Lets hope NZ does so.
