Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says that Australian farmers and food suppliers are among thousands of local businesses hit by the ongoing suspension of cruise operations, with losses to the Australian economy now surpassing $5 billion over the past year
In the meantime, CLIA has released a new video today as part of its #WeAreCruise series, with the excellent and very concerning video of which the State and Federal governments need to take notice of features national wholesaler Select Fresh Providores, one of Australia’s key suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables to cruise lines, with the company’s Group General Manager Steven Biviano explaining the huge effect the suspension has had, not only on his own business but also on farmers and regional communities.
Biviano says, “It has really affected the broader community, which people aren’t aware of,” adding, “The smaller communities are the ones that have been affected the most – the regional people are the ones that rely on this type of income through the season”, adding that in peak season up to 50% of his company’s business was generated by cruising, and that farmers and other producers need time to plan crops for cruising’s return, adding, “Getting ready is the most important thing – it’s not a thing that can just be turned on”.
CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz has repeated his often quote over the last several months statements saying cruise lines had committed to extensive new health measures to support future operations, and that it was now vital that governments agreed on a pathway towards a phased and carefully controlled resumption of local cruising,, which appears to be having no obvious impact on State or Federal Governments.
He also said, “Cruising is ordinarily worth more than $5 billion a year to the Australian economy and supports more than 18,000 jobs, many of which are now at risk,” and “The health protocols cruise lines have developed in response to COVID-19 are among the most stringent in the world and are already operating successfully in several other countries,” adding, “The health protocols cruise lines have developed in response to COVID-19 are among the most stringent in the world and are already operating successfully in several other countries.”
He also said, “Now is the time for the Federal Government and states to finalise a timeline for a carefully managed, phased resumption so businesses like Select Fresh can plan their recovery.”
In a GTM comment on CLIA’s statements and position, it is clearly becoming very frustrating for the sector that CLIA’s and leading cruise companies’ efforts appear to be having no obvious impact on the Federal and State Governments, with a number of senior members of the sector saying to GTM they are becoming frustrated by the lack of action and response by the Federal and State Governments, urging CLIA and others to take a stronger and more vociferous stand with the Federal and State Governments, as it appears the current “softly, softly” approach does not appear to be working.
In the meantime, the Select Fresh video is one of several released by CLIA on social media as part of a campaign that aims to raise awareness and tell the personal stories of people within the Australasian cruise community and it can be viewed here: –
An edited report and opinion by John Alwyn-Jones, Cruise Editor
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….what about the opposition… what is its stand about resumption of cruising… you want a vociferous approach.. then decorate opposition’s grandstand with balloons and banners….
Hi GNITS – thank you – does the opposition have a stand on the return to cruising?