WA sails towards a record cruise season

Written on the 15 April 2016

• Cruise sector generates millions for State economy
• 2015-16 shaping up to be record-breaking cruise season
• P&O Cruises embark on biggest season of WA cruising

Western Australia is on track to record its biggest ever cruise ship season.

Last financial year, the cruise sector generated 1,188 jobs and more than $275 million for the State's economy.

Premier and Tourism Minister Colin Barnett said the 2015-16 season was shaping up to be the biggest on record.

Speaking at the launch of P&O Cruise's Pacific Eden's inaugural Western Australian season, Mr Barnett said WA led the nation in terms of growth in the cruise sector.

"Last financial year, visiting ships generated more than $275 million - a $159 million increase on 2013-14," he said.

"So far this financial year there have been 43 cruise visits to Fremantle carrying more than 103,000 passengers, putting us on track to record the State's most successful cruise season."

The Premier said P&O Cruises, and its parent company Carnival Australia, had played an important role in the growth of the cruise sector in WA.

"P&O's Pacific Eden will be based in Fremantle for the next four months and carry more than 20,000 passengers on a range of itineraries that will include Busselton, Esperance, Broome, Exmouth and Geraldton," he said.

"That's 20,000 people coming through Fremantle, disembarking at regional ports, heading into town and spending money - which is great for those local economies.

"But it's not just the money the passengers and crew spend; ships visiting Fremantle also source local produce and other supplies which adds another boost."

The Premier said cruise ships were crucial to growing the State's tourism industry.

"Tourism was worth $9 billion to the economy in 2015 and the State Government has a strategy in place to grow the value of tourism to $12 billion by 2020.  A thriving cruise sector will help us reach that goal," he said.

Fact File
Carnival's Princess Cruises carried more than 45,000 cruise guests to and from Fremantle between April 2015 and March 2016, which generated about $30 million for the WA economy

Source:  Premier; Minister for Tourism; Science