South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) is making waves in cruise tourism as a new Executive Partner of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in Australasia, showcasing the state’s appeal to the travel trade and travellers.
Through the partnership, SATC can tap into CLIA’s wider community of cruise lines, travel advisors, ports, destinations, tourism operators and industry suppliers.
It follows the South Australian Government’s creation of a Cruise Attraction Working Group last year, which aims to grow cruise tourism in the state and expand the range of ships visiting Adelaide and surrounding destinations.
Cruise tourism is at record levels in South Australia with more than 160,000 passenger visit days recorded last financial year, supporting hundreds of local jobs in destinations like Adelaide, Port Lincoln and Kangaroo Island, as well as surrounding regions.
CLIA Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz said the SATC partnership would raise the state’s profile within the cruise industry and among CLIA’s 6,000-strong advisor members across Australia and New Zealand.
“South Australia has huge potential as a cruise destination. The city of Adelaide has successfully developed into a key cruise gateway in Australia’s south and our partnership with the SATC will help raise awareness of what’s on offer to cruise visitors – not only in the capital but also surrounding regions and other ports,” he said.
SATC CEO Emma Terry said partnering with CLIA ensured cruise sector leaders and advisors are talking about South Australia, which was also named one of the world’s most welcoming regions.
“We are investing in our cruise industry, which injected a record $227 million for our state’s visitor economy in the 2023-24 season, as we are a destination that offers the best of the country in one place, which is exactly what cruise lines and passengers are looking for,” she said.
For more info, head to southaustralia.com
