Domestic tourism hit by cruise ship growth

AUSTRALIA'S domestic tourism industry has a new fight on its hands  to win back customers from the expanding cruise-ship market, according to Gold Coast tourism operator Garry McKenzie.

He said while Tourism Queensland was talking up the need for a bigger budget allocation because of concerns more Australians were heading to Asia for cheap holidays, the traditional domestic market was actually going to sea.

Mr McKenzie  director of Queensland visitor accommodation company Dreamtime Resorts, which has resorts on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts  said the domestic market was suffering from the popularity of short cruises.

''About 70 per cent of the passports they (the cruise ship industry) see are new, which shows our domestic market has a challenge to meet,'' he said.

''Our traditional domestic tourists are increasingly doing cruises.

''There is aggressive marketing for cruises now and a lot of price cutting.

''Queensland's domestic tourism industry needs to find the budget and the initiatives to woo them back.''

Mr McKenzie also argues the Queensland tourism industry is at risk of forgetting its 'bread and butter customers' with all the focus on attracting visitors from Asia.

''All this focus on luring Chinese tourists should not be to the exclusion of families and the Kiwis,'' he said.

Source - goldcoast.com.au