17AUG2019 - NEWS - Cruise ship numbers and spend swelling

The number of cruise ships visiting New Zealand, and the amount of spending by cruise ship passengers has continued to rise significantly. Auckland and Tauranga have had the largest total spending by port so far. In the June 2019 year, Tauranga recorded the largest increase in the number of passengers. Cruise ship spending is going full steam ahead, swelling 28 per cent to $570 million in the year ended June 2019, Stats NZ said on Friday. The $125.2 million lift in annual cruise spending reflected a surge in the number of cruise voyages, port calls, and passengers. This followed an 11 per cent increase for the June 2018 year. Spending by cruise visitors in New Zealand climbed to $370.3 million, up 25 per cent ($73.5 million), following a 20 per cent increase in 2018. Since 2015, spending by cruise visitors has increased 84 per cent ($169.1 million).