Perth (TAN): Government of Western Australia will collaborate with United Kingdom-based passenger cruise company Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV), through Tourism Western Australia, to draw more cruise tourists to the state.
Under the partnership, CMV’s ship Vasco da Gama will homeport in Fremantle during the 2019-20 season. Vasco da Gama, a premium cruise, can accommodate 1,220 guests, which is more than double the capacity of CMV’s other ship Astor, which has been based in Fremantle since 2013.
This also marks the first time for the Government of Western Australia to enter a co-operative marketing agreement with a cruise industry operator.
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Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said: “This partnership acknowledges CMV Australia’s contribution to growing cruise shipping in WA and shows the State Government, through Tourism WA, is serious about pursuing opportunities to market the State as an exciting cruise destination.
“CMV’s new itineraries in WA have achieved an important goal of extending visitor nights in the State. This impacts positively on money flowing to tourism businesses and jobs, as well as giving visitors more time to discover the unique landscapes, culture, history and cuisine of our city and regions. We’re also delighted that the Vasco da Gama will home-port in Fremantle for the season. Its increased capacity means an even greater economic benefit to the State,” he added.
Also, Tourism Western Australia reached an agreement with CMV to offer a ‘new range of WA-focused fly, cruise, rail and stay packages’ offering longer stopovers at Western Australia ports for extensive shore excursions in Perth metropolitan and regional areas. The packages, that promise a ‘complete Western Australian holiday experience’, are being promoted through print and digital media.
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While new port calls such as Fremantle, Broome, Geraldton and Kuri Bay will be added to the itinerary alongside shore trips to Margaret River, Busselton and Rottnest Island, CMV will also deploy Vasco da Gama for a new ‘Grand Voyage’ from Fremantle to London, Amsterdam and Bremerhaven to promote Western Australia itineraries on a global scale.
Cruising is vital to the state’s tourism industry, contributing nearly AUD276 million to its economy and employing around 1,130 jobs.
Papalia added: “The cruise industry employs around 1,130 full-time jobs and injects $276 million into the Western Australian economy annually.”
