The Sapphire Coast is expected to reap-in at least $15-million dollars from visitors disembarking in Eden between now and April next year.
The Port Authority of NSW reports 25 ships are currently booked in to visit the town during the cruise season which has just gotten underway.
CEO John McKenna said the Celebrity Solstice brought almost 3000 passengers to our shores this week.
“Passengers that come in on the ships as well as the crew disperse into town and through the wider sapphire coast region on tours and experiences,” Mr McKenna said.
“Numbers do tend to fluctuate year on year but we’re certainly seeing a positive feedback from ships that do visit and that is a good basis to try and deliver growth over the coming years,” he said.
New research shows 85 percent of cruise passengers arriving in Eden come ashore to explore the town and wider Sapphire Coast.
The popularity of Eden has continued to grow since the first cruise ship arrived in 2005.
“From small beginnings we’ve now got a really substantial regional cruise business in in Eden upwards of 10s of thousands of people every year getting the opportunity to enjoy the port,” Mr McKenna said.
“This is a result of continued efforts from the Port Authority to grow and invest in the in the region and we’re starting to see the fruits of of those investments,” he said.
“A lot of stakeholders are involved in the successful delivery of a call from Port Authority ourselves through to the local community tour operators and Visit Eden.
“The Port Authority have a memorandum of understanding with local council and with Visit Eden to help grow the the the product.”
