• 2 min de lectura
• 2 min de lectura
The term "From No New Zealand to New Zealand" will not be used again, the New Zealand Cruise Association CEO Jacqui Lloyd told delegates at the Australian Cruise Association's annual conference in Brisbane.
It was the theme of NZCA's annual conference in Auckland last month.
However, Lloyd, who was accompanied by NZCA Chair Tansy Tompkins, said industry stakeholders in New Zealand are optimistic about the long-term future of cruising after the notable slump in the 2024/25 season, following a record-breaking peak the year before.
"We did take cruise for granted," Lloyd said.
"We all got a bit of a fright when the overall impact on the economy for the 2024/25 cruise season dropped 9.8% compared to the 2023/24 season."
Lloyd said she and only one other NZCA delegate attended Seatrade Cruise Global in 2023.
As part of the industry's determination to recover, New Zealand had 19 delegates, including Tourism Minister Louise Upston, at Seatrade Cruise Global this year.
"The minister's presence sent an unequivocal message that government and industry are working closely together," Lloyd said.
She said having top-level government representation on the ground alongside industry leaders helps strengthen New Zealand's collective voice when competing in a challenging global cruise market.
The 2026/27 New Zealand cruise season shows an ongoing capacity squeeze, but with a start to a long-term recovery strategy.
Lloyd said there are five priorities for 2026/27 — to create certainty, to stay competitive, to rebuild the country's reputation, to grow value and to win deployment.
"Every decision, policy discussion and operational improvement is to be tested against one central question — does this give cruise lines confidence to deploy to New Zealand?" she said.
