Microsoft Word - 2016-2021 WGSA Action Plan

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TOWNSVILLE

WhiteandGreyShip‐AttractionPlan

2016‐2021

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White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021

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White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021

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CONTENTS

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

PURPOSE   4

THECRUISEINDUSTRY 5

 Background5

 CruiseShippinginAustralia7

 AustralianCruiseShipPassengers8

 TheValueofCruiseShippinginQueensland9

 CruiseShippinginTownsville11

KEYSTAKEHOLDERS–RolesandResponsibilities12

SWOTANALYSIS–TOWNSVILLEASADESTINATION14

DEFENCE(GREY

SHIPS)15

CAPABILITY–TOWNSVILLEPORT 16

TENDERSERVICES17

CRUISESHIPPINGCHARACTARISTICS18

CURRENTTRENDSINTHECRUISEINDUSTRY21

HOWDOESTOWNSVILLESTACKUP?22

 TheWelcomeExperience23

CASESTUDY–GLADSTONE 24

SHIPATTRACTIONINITIATIVES–ActionsandTimeline  25

 Objective1–Awhole‐of‐citycoordinatedapproachtoshipattraction27

 Objective2–BuildandFosterStrongIndustryandCommunityPartnerships27

 Objective3‐Providereliable,efficientandsafeportfacilities&services

28

 Objective4–Enhancevisitorinfrastructuretomeetexpectationsofthemoderntraveller 29

 Objective5–Providefirst‐classlandsideproduct(shoreexcursions)forpassengers 29

 Objective6–Destinationmarketingandawareness  30

 Objective7–DestinationSustainabilityandHomePorting30

APPENDIXA–Ships

thatcanbeaccommodatedintotheTownsvillePort31

APPENDIXB–ShipsthatcanbeaccommodatedviaTenderinTownsville32

APPENDIXC–HistoricalwhiteshipvisitstoTownsville  33

APPENDIXD–MembershipoftheWGSAC   34

APPENDIXE–References 35

3

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021

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PURPOSE



ThepurposeoftheWhiteandGreyShip‐Attraction

PlanistobringtogetherTownsville’srelevant

industrystakeholdersandinfluencerstoidentifythe

opportunitiesforgrowthfromthewhiteandgrey

shipsector(fortourismandrest/recreational

purposes)anddeliverrealoutcomesfora

coordinated,achievableandsustainablefuturefor

the

sectorinTownsville.



Thiscanbeachievedforwhiteshipsby:

• EnsuringthatTownsvilleisproperlymarketedto

domesticandinternationalaudiencesasaunique

andtourist‐readydestination;

• Providingfirst‐classinfrastructure,servicesand

amenitiesforships,passengersandcrew;

• Providingguaranteedberthaccess;

• Delivering

uniqueandmemorabletourism

experiencesforpassengers;

• Buildingindustry(tourismoperator)capacity;

• Deliveringhigh‐valuebenefitsforcruiseship

operators(ie.ensuringTownsvilleisan

economicallyappealingdestination);

• Maximisingthebenefitsforthelocalcommunity

andeconomy;

• Includingthelocalcommunityonthejourneyto

developing

ourregionasacapableandappealing

cruiseshipdestination;

• Ensuringthecommunityissupportiveofthe

initiativesproposedbythisPlan.



Thiscanbeachievedforgreyshipsby*:

• Providingfirst‐classinfrastructure,servicesand

amenitiesfortheshipsandpersonnel;

• Ensuringberthaccessandthe

availabilityoffuel

andessentialservices;

• Ensuringthatvisitingpersonnelareprovidedwith

easy‐to‐accessandup‐to‐dateresourcesthat

showcasetheattractionsandvisitor

opportunitiesinTownsville;

• Providingengagementopportunitiesbetween

theNavyandtheTownsvillecommunitytofoster

strongpartnerships.



TheTownsvilleGreyand

WhiteShip‐AttractionPlan

willenableprioritiestobe:

• Agreedandimplemented;assigningtasksto

stakeholdersonanagreedtimelinebetween

2016and2021;

• IntegratedwithState,Councilandlocalbusiness

plans;

• Monitoredandupdatedannually–facilitatedby

theChairoftheWhiteandGreyShip‐

Attraction

Committee(WGSAC).



ThisPlanisdesignedtoengagestakeholdersby

ensuringit:

• Isachievableandaddressesthemainlocaland

regionalprioritiestoalignwiththeoverarching

NorthQueenslandTourismPlan;

• Isowned,agreedtoandendorsedbykey

stakeholdersandotherindustryplayers;

• Identifiesstrategic

risksandopportunitiesaswell

ascriticalsuccessfactors;

• Engagesandmotivatesthelocalcommunityto

ensuretheyarepartofthejourneyinmarketing

Townsvilleasanattractiveandwelcoming

destinationforwhiteandgreyships.

• Demonstratestothecommunity(through

educationandcommunicationinitiatives)the

significanteconomic

andsocialbenefitsavailable

toTownsville;

• Enableslocalstakeholderstoparticipateinthe

achievementoftargetssetbytheWGSAC.



*ThisPlanfocussesonattractinggreyshipsforrest

andrecreationalpurposes.PromotingTownsvilleasa

logisticsandserviceshubforNavyisaddressedinthe

TownsvilleDefenceHubProposaldocument,currently

beingpreparedbyTownsvilleEnterpriseandTownsville

CityCouncil(asatSeptember2016).

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4



THECRUISEINDUSTRY

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Background

Cruiseshippingisdefinedbythepeakindustry

marketingbodyforAustraliaandNewZealand

(AustralianCruiseAssociation)as“avessel

undertakingscheduleddeepwatercruisesoftwo

daysormorewithapassengercapacityof100or

more.”

Althoughcruiseshippingisstillanemergingindustry

segmentwithintheAustralian

context,itisvery

matureinaglobalcontextwithahighlevelof

productdifferentiation.Cruiseshipsrangefrom

threestarstosixstarvesselsandareclassifiedinto

fivebroadcategories:

 Expeditionandadventurecruiseships(eg

NationalGeographicOrion)

 Boutiquecruiseships(egSilverCloud)

 Mid‐sizecruiseships(egPacificPearl)

 Mega‐cruiseships(egVoyageroftheSeas)

 Militaryvessels(withanR&Rcomponent)



The“2016StateoftheIndustry”reportproducedby

CruiseLinesInternationalAssociation(CLIA)confirms

thattheglobalcruiseshippingindustryiscontinuing

todeveloprapidly,

withtheindustryseemingly

immunetoworldeconomictrends.

In2015theglobalcruiseindustrycarriedan

estimatedtotalof23millionpassengerswithgrowth

predictedin2016to24million.

Attheendof2015therewere471cruiseships

sailingtheworldwith27newocean,riverand

speciality

shipsscheduledtodebutin2016.

IntheUnitedStates,since2008cruisetravelgrowth

outpacedgeneralleisuretravelby22%.

EmergingmarketsarepredominantlyfromChina

(passengernumbersup79%inthreeyears)andIndia

(passengernumbersup35%inthreeyears).









White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021





White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



CruiseShippinginAustralia



TheAustralianCruiseIndustryiscurrently

experiencingstrongratesofgrowthand,asanisland

nation,Australiaisperfectlypositionedtotake

advantageofthisboomingindustry.



Keyhighlightsofthe2014/15yearinclude:

• 876portvisits–upfrom773in2013/2014

• $903millioninpassengerexpenditure,up

from

$678millionthepreviousyear

• $87millionincrewexpenditure,upfrom$71

million

• $792millionintotalport‐relatedexpenditure

• Overallestimatedcruiseindustryvaluetothe

Australianeconomyis$3.2billion.



Alloftheworld’sleadingcruiselinesinclude

Australiaintheirprograms.



ThecruiseshipswhichvisitAustralianportsrange

fromexpeditionstyle(likeCoralSeaPrincessand

OrionExpeditionCruises)throughtothemid‐range

ships(operatedbyP&OCruisesAustraliaandHolland

AmericaLine),tothemegaships(operatedby

PrincessCruises,Cunard,RoyalCaribbeanand

CelebrityCruises),andtheup

‐scalelines(suchas

SilverseaandSeabourn).



Sincethefirsteconomicimpactstudyofthecruise

industryinAustraliawascompiledin2013,the

economicvalueofcruisinghasrisen11.6%andthe

numberofcruiseshipsvisitingthiscountryhas

doubledfrom23to51;totalindustryexpenditure

has

increasedby30%.



CruisecompaniesarelookingtoAustralianitineraries

becausetheyoffersomethingnew,excitingand

exotic.



TourismAustraliaisinvolvedinanumberofactivities

inNorthAmericathatspecificallytargettheNorth

Americancruisemarket.Thismarketholdsthe

highestpercentageofcruisepassengersworldwide

andis

themaintargetcruisemarketforAustralia.



TourismAustraliaisalsoworkingwithkeyindustry

stakeholderssuchasAustralianCruiseAssociation

andStateTourismOrganisationstopromote

Australiaasaworld‐classcruisedestination.





7

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



AustralianCruiseShipPassengers



Australiancruisepassengernumberssurgedby

14.6%in2015toarecordfigureof1,058,781.Over

thepast12years,cruisepassengernumbershave

grownmorethansix‐fold,from158,415intheyear

2004.



Keyhighlightsofthe2015yearinclude:

• Australianoceancruisepassengernumbers

brokethrough

theonemillionmarkforthefirst

timein2015,rising14.6%to1,058,781from

923,726in2014;

• Australiawastheonlycruisemarkettoachievea

populationpenetrationrategreaterthan4%in

2015,withtheequivalentof4.5%ofthe

Australianpopulationtakingacruiseduringthe

year;



• Australia’sgrowthrateof14.6%wassecondonly

totheemergingmarketofChina,andwellahead

ofestablishedmarketssuchastheUS(down

0.1%),UKandIreland(8.8%growth)andFrance

(up3.7%);

• Asurgeindomesticcruisingfuelledthegrowth

ofAustralianpassengernumbers,with

local

cruisersgrowingby42%from189,796in2014to

269,915in2015.Theincreaseof80,000was

twiceasgreatasanyotherdestinationinreal

numbers;

• OceancruisingnumbersinAsiajumpedby71.5%

withmorethan95,000Australiansheadingto

theregioninresponsetoadditionalcapacity

and

newitineraries;

• TheSouthPacificmaintaineditspositionas

Australian’sfavouritecruisedestination

attractingmorethanone‐thirdofoceancruise

passengers(383,889);

• Europeremainedtheleadinglong‐haul

destinationandAustralian’sthirdmostpopular

destinationoverall,attracting9.5%of

passengers(101,419)

• Shortbreakcruisesof

fourdaysorlessleaptin

popularity,growingbymorethan25%in2015,

whilecruisesof15‐21daysrosebymorethan

50%.Themajority(89%)ofallAustralians

cruisingin2015tookacruiseof14daysorless.

• Australiansspentanestimated10.4milliondays

seain2015,withanaverageoceancruise

lengthof9.8days;

• Australiawasthefourthlargestsourcemarketin

theworldin2015,accountingfor4.6%ofglobal

cruisepassengers.



8



TheValueofCruiseShippinginQueensland



QueenslandisthesecondlargestAustraliancruise

shippingmarketintermsofactivityandindustry

expenditure,generatinganestimated$750million

during2014/15andrepresentingannualgrowthof

10.2%since2013/14.



275cruiseshipsvisitedQueenslandduring2014/15,

anincreaseof37shipsoverthepreviousyear.



Queenslandhasseveral

establishedportsand

destinationsthatservicethewhiteshipindustry,

howevermoreemergeeachyearascommunities

acrossAustraliabecomemoreawareofthe

significanteconomicandsocialbenefitstheirvisits

canbringtoadestination.



GrowthPotential

OpportunitiescontinuetopresentfortheAustralian

cruiseshippingindustrywithrecentdeployment

announcementsfortheregion,influencedbythe

qualitycruisingexperiencesonofferandtherapid

growthinSouthEastAsia,ChineseandIndiansource

markets.



HomeportingcontinuestoexpandaroundAustralia

toincludetheportsofSydney,

Melbourne,Adelaide,

BrisbaneandFremantle,withHobartandCairns

becomingseasonalhomeportsforthefirsttime

duringthe2015year.



Cruiseshipvisitsduringthe2015/2016seasonare

expectedtosurpassthepreviousyearby80visits,

takingthetotaltoaround950.



Table:Summaryofdirectexpenditureassociated

withtheCruiseShippingIndustryinAustralia, 2014‐2015(AEC

Group“EconomicImpactAssessmentoftheCruiseShippingIndustryinAustralia,2014‐2015)



 DirectExpenditure

Destination ShipVisits Passenger Crew Operator Corporate Total

Brisbane 134 $170,865,000 $20,618,000 $174,489,000 $20,968,000 $386,941,000

Cairns 42 $10,646,000 $1,328,000 $3,087,000 $380,000 $15,099,000

MoretonIs. 14 $4,296,000 $427,000 $1,291,000 $0 $6,014,000

PortDouglas 30 $7,710,000 $1,239,000 $190,000 $0 $9,139,000

ThursdayIs. 7 $348,000 $40,000 $25,000 $0 $414,000

Townsville 4 $433,000 $63,000 $237,000 $0 $732,000

Whitsundays 44 $24,562,000 $1,655,000 $293,000 $0 $26,511,000

Total  $218,860,000 $25,370,000 $179,613,000 $21,006,000 $444,849,000





Passenger

Expenditure

Expenditureby

passengersinportsof

call,includingtransit

portsandbaseports.

Dataisdrawnfrom

varioussourcessuch

aspassengersurveys

andcruiselinedata

andincludesshore

excursions,meals,

taxis,admissionto

attractions,shopping

andaccommodation.



CrewExpenditure

Expenditurebycrew

membersintheirports

ofcall,includingtransit

portsandbaseports.

Dataisdrawnfrom

varioussourcesand

includesmeals,taxis,

admissionto

attractions,

telecommunications,

shoppingand

accommodationand

otherrecreational

spending.



OperatorExpenditure

Expendituresuchas

navigation,berthing,

pilotageandtowage

fees;suppliessuchas

fuel,foodand

beverageprovisions

andpotablewater;

servicessuchas

wastewaterand

garbageremoval;and

passengerrelated

servicessuchas

security,baggage

handlingand

passengerlevies.

Corporate

Expenditure

Expenditurebycruise

operatorsthatexclude

operationalexpenses.

Thisincludescorporate

headofficeactivity,

advertising,sales

activities,

commissions,and

generaladministration

costs.Itisbasedon

assumptionsmadein

regardstobaseship

activityandcorporate

officelocations.

9





White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



CruiseShippinginTownsville



TheOpportunity

In2014/2015theTownsvilleNorthQueensland

tourismandeventsindustrycontributed

approximately$2.4milliontotheregion’seconomy

everydayandsupported4,000jobs.



Atpresent,cruiseshippingaccountsforlessthan1%

ofthisactivity.AsidentifiedthroughtheTownsville

NorthQueenslandDestinationTourismPlan(DTP);for

TownsvilleNorthQueensland

toreachits2020vision,

increasingthevisitationofcruiseandmilitaryships

needstoemergeasakeyeconomicpriority.



Townsvillerecordedatotaloffourcruiseshipvisitsin

2014/15,receiving1,791passengers/590crewdaysat

portwithaneconomicexpenditurefromtheindustry

valuedat$1.25million.



Thiscomparestonineshipsand6770

passengers/1888crewdaysatportthepreviousyear.



Thecruiseshippingindustrypresentsasanenormous

opportunitytogrowtheTownsvilletourismindustry

witharelativelysmallinvestmentoftimeandeffortto

enticethecruiseshipstoourlocation.



Ofthe52

whiteshipsthatwillsailaroundAustralian

watersduring2015/2016,32canbeaccommodated

intotheTownsvillePort(at238metresinlengthor

less).Theremainingvesselscansafelyanchorat the

twodesignatedanchorpointsoffMagneticIslandand

PalmIsland,withSealinkQueenslandofferingan

exceptionalstandardoftenderservices,capableof

movingupto300passengersinair‐conditioned

comfortoneachferry.



EconomicInputPotential

Considerasanexample;acruiseshipcarrying750

passengersand500crewstopsinTownsvilleand

employs100people.



Fromthemoststraightforwardperspective,the

cruiseshipsupports100jobs.But,inaddition,the

cruiseshipalsosupportsotherjobsintheeconomy

duetothespendingbythecrew

andpassengers

wheninport,andalsothecruiseshipoperator.For

example(inahomeportingscenario)thecruiseship

purchasesitemsfromafooddistributorthat

operatesawarehouse,andpurchasesrepairand

maintenanceservicesfromsuppliers.Additionally

whilevisitingportsandlocalareas,thecruiseship

passengers

andcrewspendmoneyonfoodand

beverage,tourismactivities,taxis,generalshopping

souvenirsandevenmedicalrequirements.By

consideringthesecategoriesofspending,one

quicklyrealisesthatthecruiseshipanditsvisitors

supportmorethan100jobs.



AstudycommissionedbyCruiseLinesInternational

attheendof2014

revealedthatcruiseship

passengersspendanaverageof$370perdayin

Australianports,helpingtopushthecruise

industry’stotaleconomiccontributioninAustraliato

around$3.2billionperday.



Townsvilleasadestinationhastheopportunityto

notonlycapturethespendingdollarofcruise

passengersand

crew,buttheprovisionofservices

andsuppliestoo.TheTownsvillePorthasworldclass

cruiseshipfacilitiesandtheprospectof‘home

porting’acruiseshipbytheyear2021isaveryreal

oneiftheregioncandemonstrateitsabilityand

enthusiasmincateringforthemanydifferent



requirementsofwhiteships.



Year WhiteshipvisitstoTownsville‐Targets Estimatedpassenger$371)andcrewspend

$104)pervisit

2017 12 $3,963,000

2018 15 $4,953,750

2019 20 $6,605,000

2020 25 $8,256,250

2021 30 $9,907,500

11

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



Cruise

Lines

Portof

Townsville

Townsville

CityCouncil

Inbound

Tour

Operators

Ground

handlers

Local

community

Tour&

Transport

Operators

Regional

Councils

Sealink

Queensland

Maritime

Safety

Queensland

Tourism

Events

Queensland

Townsville

Enterprise



KEYSTAKEHOLDERS

WhiteShips



Rolesand



Responsibilities



PortofTownsville

TheTownsvillePortisresponsibleforallwaterside

logisticsactivitiesincludingberthbookings,pilotage,

berthsecurityandthecoordinationofborder

services,andmanagesQuaysideTerminal(thefacility

thatprocessescruiseshippassengers).ThePortalso

playsanimportantroleincoordinatingstakeholders

associatedwitheachwhiteshipvisit;andfacilitates



the“welcomeexperience”includinglive

entertainmentforarrivalanddeparture,directional

andwelcomesignageontheberthandoutside

QuaysideTerminal,aswellasensuringthe

TownsvilleEnterprisevolunteersareprovidedwith

adequatespacetowork.PortofTownsvilleLimited

alsoprovidesaChairfortheWhiteandGreyShip‐

AttractionCommitteeandfacilitatesthemonthly

meetings.



TownsvilleEnterprise

TownsvilleEnterprise(TEL)istheRegionalTourism

Organisation(RTO)fortheTownsvilleNorth

Queenslandregionandworkswiththetourism

industryandgovernment/industryagenciessuchas

Tourism&EventsQueensland,QueenslandTourism

IndustryCouncil,TourismAustraliaandtheStateand

FederalGovernmentstopositiontheTownsville

Regionasadiverseandexcitingholidaydestination.

TELcoordinatescooperativemarketingoftheregion

andgeneratesmediacoverage.Inthewhiteandgrey

shipsector,TELareresponsibleforsourcingInbound

TourOperators,promotinglocalshore‐based

product,carryingoutfamilsforcruiselineoperators,

presentingsuggesteditinerariestooperatorsand

attendingindustryeventsandshowcases

representingourregion.TELruneducational

seminarsfortourismproductoperators,coordinatea

largebaseofvolunteerswhoactasinformationaids

totouriststoTownsville,alertTownsvilleretailersto

theimpendingarrivalofcruiseshipstoensurethey

areadequatelystaffedandprepared;andoperate

theFlindersSquareVisitorInformationCentrewhere

cruiseshippassengersaredroppedoffbyshuttle

buses.

12

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



TownsvilleCityCouncil

TownsvilleCityCouncil(TCC)playsavitalroleinthe

preparationandreadinessofthecommunityfor

cruiseshipsvisits.TCCcoordinatethewelcome

entertainmentinTownsvilleBulletinSquareand

coordinatemarkets.TCCarecurrentlyworkingonA

“CBDActivationPlan”whichincludesinitiatives

throughoutthecity,particularlyTheStrand,to



encouragetourismbusinessoperators.



Tourism&EventsQueensland

TheroleofTourism&EventsQueensland(TEQ)’s

roleistoprovidewhole‐of‐stateframeworksand

plansforongoinggrowthofthecruisesectorin

Queensland’svariousregions.TEQworkin

partnershipwiththeRegionalTourismOrganisations

(TownsvilleEnterpriseforourregion)oncruise

relatedprojectswhichareidentifiedin

the

DestinationTourismPlan.



TEQfosterrelationshipswithcruisestakeholders

includingcruiselines,shippingagentsand

InboundTourOperators,aswellasworkwithother

keystakeholderssuchasports,Government

agencies,MaritimeSafetyQueensland,shipping

agents,AustralianCruiseAssociationandCruiseLines

InternationalAssociationtooptimiseactivities

aroundthe

attractionofnewcruiseshipvisitsto

destinations.



TEQworksonthedevelopmentofshoreexcursion

experiencesforspecificcruiseshipsandcruiselines,

identifyproductgaps,pitchproducttoInboundTour

Operators,mentornewoperators,collectand

interpretcruisedataandattendtradeshows

(representingQueenslanddestinationstocruise

itineraryplannersandcruiselineexecutives).



MaritimeSafetyQueensland

MaritimeSafetyQueensland(MSQ)isabrandofthe

DepartmentofTransportandMainRoads.Theirrole

istoprotectQueensland’swaterwaysandthepeople

whousethem,providingsafer,cleanerseas.Inthe

contextoftheWhiteandGreyShip‐Attraction

Committee,MSQisrepresentedbytheHarbour

Master,who

providesvaluableinformationtothe

Committeeaboutaccessandnavigationintothe

TownsvillePortforcruiseshipsaswellasdesignated

anchorpointsaroundTownsville.



SealinkQueensland

SealinkQueenslandprovidestheregularferryservice

aswellastourproducttoMagneticIsland;whichis

alwaysastrongsellerwithcruiseshippassengers.

Sealinkalsoprovidetheonlytenderserviceavailable

inTownsville,offeringafleetoffourmodernand

comfortablevesselsthatcanaccommodateupto

300people.





InboundTourOperators

InboundTourOperators(ITO)arebusinessesthat

provideitineraryplanning,productselectionand

coordinatereservationsoftravelproductofferings

(suchastours)tocruiseships.ITOschoosetowork

withproducts(tours)thatwillappealtothe

customerstheyareservicing.Theydonotworkin

isolationwhenselectingsuitableproduct

towork

with,butareinfluencedbytheneedsoftheirclient.

ITOsseekuniqueandtried‐and‐testedproductthat

hasgoodfinancialreturnsfortheclient(cruiseship).



GroundHandlers

Alsoreferredtoasinboundtouroperators,ground

handlersarebasedinAustraliaandactasthe

tourismrepresentativeforthecruiseline.Theirmain

objectiveistopackageandpromotetourism

experienceswhicharesoldbythecruiselineto

passengersasshore‐basedexcursions.Theground

handlerisalso

responsibleformanagingthetourism

logisticsoftheseshoreexcursionprogramsonthe

dayofthecruiseshipvisit.



Tour&TransportOperators

Tourismoperatorsinourregionincludeboth

establishedfixed‐baseofferingssuchasReefHQ,

BillabongSanctuary,MagneticIsland,andmobile

tourismoperatorssuchasDetours,Townsville

MilitaryToursandtheCityScenicProducts.Aswith

thelocalcommunity,anunderstandingbytourism

operatorsofthestandardrequiredbycruiseships

is

vitallyimportanttoTownsvilletoobtainandretaina

mantleasatourist‐readydestination.



LocalCommunity

Thelocalcommunityincludesretailoperators,

marketstallholders,themediaandthegeneral

population.Theimportanceofanenthusiastic

welcomeexperiencebythelocalcommunitycannot

beunderestimatedwhenhostingvisitorsfromboth

whiteandgreyshipsinTownsville.Alittlesmileand

goodcustomerservicecangoavery

longwaywhen

determiningfeedbackandreturnvisitstoourregion.



RegionalCouncils

ShiresthatsurroundtheTownsvilleregioninclude

theBurdekin,ChartersTowersandHinchinbrook.

Theseshiresareprovidersofkeytourismproductfor

cruiseshipsandwillkeyplayersinthedevelopment

ofworld‐classproductofferingsintothefuture.





13

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



SWOTANALYSIS

TOWNSVILLEASADESTINATION



Strengths Opportunities

 QuaysideTerminal–nearnewfacility,greatviews,

beautifullypresented,closetotheCBD.

 Plentyofbusparking,easypassengertransfers

 Geographiclocationandproximitytootherportsin

QueenslandandAsia

 Theonlyisland(MagneticIsland)withintheGreat

BarrierReefthatishometoapermanent

community.

 GuaranteedberthbookingsonBerth10

 Fuel(notavailableinCairns)

 Thedesiretoattractshipstoourcityand

stakeholdersupporttoincreasevisitation.

 Thewelcomeexperience

 TownsvilleEnterprisevolunteers

 Townsvilleisarelativelynewdestinationforalot

ofcruiseships

 Stronghistoricalandmilitaryelement/presencein

Townsville

 Townsvillehasmoresunnydaysthanmany

destinations,providinggoodsuretyofshore

excursionbookings.



WorkwithCairnsporttodevelopcomplementary

shore‐basedofferings(thatdonotcompete)

 Lotsoforganicproduceinourregion–potential

tourismproduct

 Townsvilleislookingfornewopportunities

 Easyeconomicreturnforalittleeffortintermsof

cohesiveeffort

 HMASTownsvillesoontobecomeanexhibitatthe

MaritimeMuseum

 Navypersonnelwithmoneytospendandenergy

toburn

 Navypersonnellookingforadventurestoursand

activities–sailorsarelookingforthingstodo

 Sportingclubs(suchasrugbyunion,basketball)

thatwouldbekeentoparticipateingamesagainst

Navy/Defencesportingteams.

 Theopportunitytodevelopnewtourismproduct

aroundourindustriessuchasDefence,agriculture

andeducation



Threats Weaknesses

 LackofcommunitybeliefthatTownsvillecan

sustainthetourismmarket.

 Cyclones,inclementweather,heat

 Lackofgoodtourguidesthathavegoodknowledge

ofthecity;lackofmultilingualguides

 Vesselsnotreturningafterinauguralvisitdueto

lowtourbookingnumbersorlowfinancialreturn

ontourcommissions

 Competitionfromotherregionalport’salong

Australia’seasterncoastline

 LackoffundingtoimproveTownsvilletourism

offering

 Lackofunderstandingbycruiselinesandground

operatorsaboutTownsville’skeypointsof

differenceasaportofcall.





AustraliancruiseseasoncoincideswithNorth

Queensland’stropicalsummer;heatisafactorfor

somevisitorsdependingonthetypeofexcursion

oractivitytheychooseinTownsville.

 QuaysideTerminalstairsandlackofWIFI

 PortChannelsizerestrictsshipsizesto238metres

 Lackofregularaviationconnectionstoother

Australiancitiesandinternationaldestinationsand

thecostofairfarestoTownsville.

 Lackoffootpath,signageandshadefromQuayside

TerminaltoCBD

 LackoforganisationamongstCBDretailers

 UnpreparedforAsianmarket(interpreters,

signage,specificculturalrequirements(washing

facilitiesforprayeretc.)

 Notenoughshore‐basedexcursionsthathavethe

“Xfactor”;toursthatarenotuniquealongthe

easternseaboard.

 Notoursthatcanaccommodatelargegroupsof

>200people.

 Lackofdestinationawareness



14

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



DEFENCE(GREYSHIPS)



BACKGROUND

Townsvilleisawell‐establishedmilitarycityandthe

largestDefencebaseinAustralia;accommodating

3500ArmypersonnelatLavarackBarracksanda

further1000personnelatRAAFGarbutt.



The2016DefenceWhitePaper(releasedinFebruary

2016),setsoutthemostambitiousplanto

regeneratetheRoyalAustralianNavysince

the

SecondWorldWar.Modernisingmaritime

capabilitiesisafocusofthestrategyandincludesthe

additionofsubmarines,frigates,replenishment

vesselsanddestroyerstothefleet.



Defence’sabilitytocontributetoborderprotection

willbeenhancedwiththeintroductionofmore

capableoffshorepatrolvessels,newmanned and

unmanned

aircraftandanewlarge‐hulledmulti‐

purposepatrolvessel,theAustralianDefenceVessel

OceanProtector.



TheAustralianGovernmenthascommittedto

significantincreasesinDefencespending(including

$50millionatLavarackBarracks)whichwilldirectly

benefitTownsvilleandinevitablyincreasevisitation 

ofNavalvesselstoTownsville’sport.



During2013

thePortofTownsvillepartneredwith

Defence,andStateandFederalGovernmentsto

upgradetheBerth10facilityandbuildQuayside

Terminal.ThecollaborationwithDefenceonthe

Berth10projectensuredthatthefacilitywasbuilt

withspecificcapabilitiestohosttheNavy’snewLHD

(LandingHelicopterDock)vessels,HMAS

Canberra

andHMASAdelaide.Thewharfincludesfuelling

facilitiessupportedbyAQISandanapproved

quarantinewashdownfacility.



ItsproximitytoLavarackBarracksmeansthatthe

Townsvilleportisaconvenient,strategically‐placed

andcost‐effectiveoptionforinter‐serviceactivities

(eg.disasterrelief).Defencehasalsodeveloped

a

stagingareaattheport,toenhanceloading

operationsinpreparationfordeploymentsand

returningmissions.



During2016thePortofTownsvillewillreceive

approximately11militaryvesselvisitsrepresenting

40daysinport.



ThetwoLHDvesselsthatwillvisitTownsvilleona

regularbasisoverthenext

30years(theirestimated

operationallifespan)haveanormalpersonnelload

ofapproximately450,butcancarryupto1,200.



Fullpersonnelchangeovers(postings)occur

approximatelyeverythreeyearsonamilitaryvessel,

meaningnewpersonnelvisitingourregionthatmay

nothaveexperiencedTownsvillebefore.



Navypersonnelareregularly

grantedR&Rduring

theirvisitstoTownsville;thereforeongoing

opportunitiesexistforlocalbusinessesandtourism

operatorstosellproductandservicestoNavy

personnelvisitingthecity.



 

15

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



CAPABILITY

PortofTownsville

Townsville’sportboastsanear‐newcruiseship

terminal(QuaysideTerminal)whichwasopenedin

October2013.



Berth10,whichislocateddirectlybehindQuayside

Terminal,allows30guaranteedberthdaysforcruise

vessels.Cruiseshipsareaffordedabsolutepriority

accesstoBerth10overothershipping,provided

thatbookings

aremade12monthsinadvance.



Theportisequippedwiththreetugvesselstoassist

withvesselentryintotheportandofferspiloting

servicestoallvessels24hoursaday,365daysa

yeartoensuresafepassagefromtheport

boundary.Thepilotpickuppointiseightnautical

milesfromBerth10.



TheexistingseachannelleadingintotheTownsville

Portcurrentlymeasures92metreswide(atits

narrowestpoint)withadepthof11.7metresand

accommodatesshipsupto238metresinlengthand

32metrebeam.



TheTownsvillePorthasthedistinctadvantage

of

fuellingcapabilityforships,offeringfueloil467and

571dieseline.Thequaylinefuelvalvefordiesel

allowsaflowrateof350,000perhour,aswellas:

 Quaylinepotablewatervalveconnectingto

Townsvillemains

 Quaylinesewagevalueforfreshwatersewage

connecting

toTownsvillecitysewagesystem

 QuaylineandlandsideconnectionstoPortof

Townsvillesaltwaterfiresystems

 LVandHVpowerforwharfactivities

 Berthlightingfor24houroperations

 WIFIforcrewandpassengersavailablefromend

of2016



PortofTownsville’sPortExpansionProject,

withan

expectedcommencementdateofthesecondhalfof

2017,planstowidenanddeepentheexistingsea

channelbytheyear2021.Thisworkwouldallowfor

vesselsupto290metresinlength(and300metres

byexception)tosafelyaccesstheport.



White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



TENDERSERVICES

Tendering”isthetermusedbythecruiseindustrytotransferpassengersfromtheshipbyasmallervesseltoland

whenthevesselisatanchor.



Cruiselinesusuallychoosetotenderatadestinationwheretheportorwharfinfrastructurecannot

accommodatetheirvessel.Townsvillecurrentlyhastwoapprovedanchoragepointsforvesselsthatexceed238

metres,approvedbytheGreatBarrierReefMarineParkAuthorityandtheRegionalHarbourMasterasper

below:





MagneticIsland(HorseshoeBay)

UTMPositions:484318.0132,7888165.726

Latitude19

05.96’Sandlongitude146

51.O5E

Anchoragepositioniswithinthe10metrecontourandisreasonablyshelteredfromtheprevailingsoutheasterly

windsthatarecharacteristicofthearea.

SealinkQueenslandofferexceptionaltenderingservicesinTownsville.Theirtendervesselsaremodernand

comfortableandcanaccommodateupto300passengersatonetime.

NotetheimagesbelowshowatenderservicesbeingprovidedatYorkey’sKnob(nearCairns)

17

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



CRUISESHIPPINGCHARACTARISTICS

Seasons

ThecruiseseasoninAustralianwatersgenerallyruns

fromOctoberthroughtoApril.Thisiswhenlarge

cruiselinesdeploytheirvesselstoAustraliaandthe

SouthPacificregionforthesouthernhemisphere

summer.



TheclimateinNorthQueenslandduringthe

Australiancruiseseasonisgenerallyhotandhumid.

Whilecruise

visitsprovideagoodeconomicinjection 

tolocalbusinessesduringwhatcantraditionallybea

slowertourismperiod,thepassengerexperience

needstobecarefullyconsideredandmanagedto

ensurethatitispositive.Shoreexcursionsneedto

takeintoaccounttheheatandclimaticconditions

andbeadequatelyprovisioned

toensurethecomfort

ofthevisitor.



Increasingly,cruisevesselsarebeingbasedin

Australiayeararound(homeporting).Their

permanentpresenceinAustralianwatersoffersthe

opportunityforpassengerstovisitNorthQueensland

duringthecoolermonthsduringthemiddleofthe

year.Thisshouldbetakenintoaccountwhen



preparingproductofferingstocruiselinesand

groundhandlers.



ItineraryPlanning

Cruiselinesspendagreatdealoftimetoplan

itinerariesthatarebothmarketableandprofitable.

Asageneralruleofthumb,cruiselinesplan

itinerariesapproximatelytwotothreeyearsin

advanceofscheduledvisits.Tourism&Events

Queenslandreceivesdirectfeedbackfromcruise

linesonitineraryplanningand

advisesthefollowing

arefactorstakenintoaccountduringitinerary

planning:



 Shore‐basedexcursionoptionsandrevenue

potential

 Appealofthedestinationtothepassenger(ie.is

itanaspirationaldestination?)

 Previouspassengerfeedbackfromthe

destinationincludingthewelcomeexperience

 Considerationof“thefit”with

otherportsonthe

itinerary

 Portratingsincludingfeesandcharges

 Thephysicalandmaritimeconsiderationsofthe

port(ortender)

 Geo‐politicalstabilityandportsecurity

 Distancebetweenotherportsofcall



Cruiselinesconsidertheactivitiesandappealofall

thedestinationsonthe

voyageitinerary,including

howeachportcancomplementthenext.Anideal

itineraryincludesverydifferentshoreexcursionsin

eachporttominimiserepetitionofexperiencesand

showcasesthehighlightsofeachindividualport.



Allshipshavevaryingdemographicsand,assuch,

havewidelydifferentrequirementsofportsand

shore‐

basedexcursions(ageofpassenger,costof

cruiseetc.)AsanoutcomeofthisActionPlan,

Townsvillewillbeabletoadapttothesebroad

requirementstosuittheoperator.



Cruiselineswillgenerallyonlyconsideradestination

iftheyareguaranteedaberthoranchoragepoint.

Onceitinerariesand

portsofcallareset,thereisno

easyorinexpensivewaytochangethem.





18

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



ShoreExcursions(TourProduct)

Shoreexcursionsareamajorsourceofrevenuefor

cruiselines.Whendealingwithadestination,the

objectiveofthecruiselineistomaximisesalesof

theirin‐houseshoreexcursionprograms.That

meansacruiselinewantstopre‐bookasmanytours

onboardtheshippriorto

arrivingatitsdestination.

Acruiselineearnscommissionsfromapproved

toursthataremadeavailableforsaleonboardthe

vessel.



Voyageitinerariesaredesignedwithpassenger

expectationsandtechnicalrequirementsinmind.

Itinerariesaretightlymanagedtoensuremaximum

efficienciesinsailingtimeandenginespeed(and

therefore

fuelconsumption).



Arangeofcomplementaryshore‐basedexcursions

mustbeofferedineachport,andcareful

considerationispaidtominimiserepetition(of

experiences)aroundAustralia.



Shoreexcursionsareselectedbythecruiselinesin

cooperationwithInboundTourOperatorsand

Agentstoofferpassengersanopportunityto

experience

somethingnewineachportofcall.

Cruiselinesalsoprefershoreexcursionsthatare

madeavailabletothemexclusively(ie.theycan’tbe

purchased“onthestreet’).



Duetotheriseofinternetsalesandsmartphones,

passengersoncruiseshipsarenowfarmorelikelyto

tryandbook

shorebasedexcursionswhenthey

arriveinport.Tocombatthistrend,cruiseshipsare

dedicatingmoreandmoretimeandresourcesto

findinginnovativeandexclusiveexcursionsthatthey

cansellonboard.



Cruiselinespromotethequalityoftheexperience

andthereliabilityofthetouroperatorsas

themain

reasonstobookthroughtheofficialshoreexcursion

programs(theshipalsoguaranteesitwillwaitfor

anyofficialshoreexcursionincasetheyrunlate,but

willleavewithoutpassengersiftheyareonan

independenttouranddonotmakeitbackintimefor

departure

.)



Port/DestinationSatisfaction

Cruisepassengersareaskedtoratetheirsatisfaction

witheachdestinationtheyvisitonacruise.The

resultsofthesesurveysareanalysedandthe

outcomecandeterminewhetheradestination

remainsonacruiseitineraryorisbypassedonfuture

deployments.



Passengersatisfactionrelatestotheofficialshore

excursion

programaswellaseachpassenger’s

generalexperienceduringtheirportofcall.This

includeseverythingfromtheservicetheyreceive

fromwaitstaffatacafé,interactionswithbusdrivers

andtaxis,toexperienceswiththegeneralpublic.



Tomaximisethedestinationexperience,community

supportandinvolvementincruise

shippassenger

visitscannotbeunderestimated.Positiveresultscan

beachievedbyongoingpromotionoftheeconomic

andsocialbenefitsofvisitingcruise(andgrey)ships

tothegeneralpublic.



Engaginglocalretailerstoensuretheyareopenon

cruisedays,preparinglocaltouroperatorsforthe

influxofvisits,alerting

localmedia,ensuringground

transportprovisionsareadequate–allleadtoa

successfulimpressiononvisitors.



19

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



CurrentTrendsinthe

CruiseIndustry





Whenpreparingshoreexcursionproductand

itineraries,trendsincruisepassengerexpectations

shouldbetakenintoaccount.



Rememberthatcruiselinesplanitinerariesupto

threeyearsinadvance,thereforestayingabreastof

trendsandinfluencerstoensureTownsvilleremains

asustainabledestinationintothefuturewillbea

key

componentofthisPlan’simplementationtargets.



Technology

 Mobiletravelbookingservicesforcruiseship

passengersbookingboththevoyageandshore‐

basedexcursionsareupby200%inlasttwo

years.

 Socialmediaisthemostacceptedandefficient

formofadvertisingbycruiseshipoperatorsin

theAsianmarket,andevenmoresotheWestern



marketyear‐on‐year.

 FreeWIFIprovisionsatthedestination(and

port)areveryimportantandinfluences

passengerfeedbackinsurveys.



ItinerariesandDemographic

 Asiancruisepassengersprefershortercruises

(threetofivedaysinduration)andarenot

interestedindrinkingalcoholorloungingaround

poolsandsunbaking.Theywant“experiences”

versus“things”andaregenerallyveryactive

tourists.Theyloveiconicexperiencessuchas

indigenousculture,naturaltourismresources

suchaswonders

oftheworldandregionally

uniqueactivities.

 Cruiselinesarerespondingtotrendsand

requirementsoftheAsianmarketbyremoving

barsfromshipsandinstallinggamblingareasand

medicalfacilities(healthandwellness).

 Cruiseshipbusinessesarediversifyingintothe

purchaseofplanes,helicoptersandsubmarines

to

accommodatethedemandsofwealthyAsian

passengers(whooftenwanttodepartcruises

mid‐itinerary).

 56%ofcruiseshippassengers(onStarCruises)

are“activists”ofsomedescriptionmeaningthat

theydonatetheirtime/moneytocausesor

organisationsandarewillingtosupportor

boycottbusinessbasedontheirbeliefs.



 Multi‐generationaltravelisarapidly‐increasing

market(ie.grandparents,parents,childrenall

travellingtogether).Cruiselinesareresponding

byfactoringinco‐joinedrooms/berthsonfuture

shipbuilds.

 Cruiseoperatorresearchshowsthatthe

Millennialgenerationalsovalue“experiences”

over“things”;Theywanttoconnectwithother

people,thecommunity;theworld.

 CruiseshipcompaniessuggestAustralian 

ports/desintationsbegintheirpreparationsnow

forthehugeprojectedincreaseinnumbersof

Asianpassengersandtheirspecificrequirements

(food/interpreters/signageetc).



Shore‐basedExcursions

 FoodandWine(TourismAustraliaresearch

showsthatAustraliaissecondonlytoFrance

whenitcomestoassociationwithqualityfood

andwineexperiences).

 HealthandWellness(dayspa,non‐surgical

medicalrestorationsuchasfillersandBotox,

teethwhitening,massageetc).

 Adrenalin(parachuting,skiing,abseiling,paddle

boarding)

 PrivateToursbynotablelocals(artcollections,

privatehomesetc).

 ShoppingTours

 GoodCitizenExperiences(visitingcharitable

organisations,sustainablefarming)

 EducationalTourism(GBR,Antarctica)

 OverlandPackagesaregaininginpopularity.For

example,apassengerdisembarkscruiseshipin

Cairns,fliestoAyresRock,re‐

joinsshipin

Darwin.

DestinationAmenity

 The“welcomeexperience”isimportantandcan

influencepassengerfeedback.

 Portsthatofferwetanddrygarbagedisposal,

strongbollardsandaccesstofuelwhileproviding

competitiveberthingchargesareattractiveto

cruiseshipswhenconsideringitineraries.

 Cruiselineswantguaranteedberthing

availability.

 Anchorageisnot

thefavouredoptionofcruise

linesbuttheywilltoleratetenderingfor

desintationsthatareuniqueandmemorable.



21



Tour Duration

BillabongSanctuary 4hrs 4hours,Interactivewildlifeexperience,feedingofcrocodiles, 

holdingcrocodile,handfeedkangaroos

ReefHQ–HiddenSecrets 3hrs 1.5hours,world’slargestlivingcoralaquarium,fullyguided

tourthroughtheaquariumandvisitturtlehospital

MaggieIslandStretchJeep

TropicanaTours

4.5hrs TourofIslandinStretchJeep– 4.5hours

MagneticIslandHalfDaytour 4hrs Includesferrytransferandtourofisland,refreshmentsat

BungalowKoalaVillage(island’secofriendlywildlifesanctuary)

CitySightsTour 2hrs CastleHill,JCU,ArmyBarracks,BotanicalGardensandThe

Strand

GhostsofGold–Charters

Towers

FullDay Visitsouvenirshops,tourhistoricbuildings

MungallaIndigenous

Experience

FullDay Samplelocaltropicalfruiticecream,authenticartworkonsale,

localAboriginalguides,



MuseumofTropicalQLD 1.5hrs FullyguidedtourthroughtheMuseum

WorldHeritageRainforest

Tour

FullDay Includesrainforestwalk,photoopatMcLelland’sLookoutand

traditionalAussieBBQlunch



HOWDOESTOWNSVILLESTACKUP?



FeedbackfromKeyPlayers

FeedbackfrommeetingsheldbybothPortof

TownsvilleLimited,TownsvilleEnterpriseand

Tourism&EventsQueenslandwithcruiseline

representativesandInboundTourOperators(ITO)

betweenSeptember2015andMarch2016provided

thefollowinginformationandfeedback:

 AbeliefthatCairnsistheplacetogoforthe

Great

BarrierReef;Darwinisthedestinationfor

IndigenousandCrocexperiences;

 Alackofunderstandingamongcruiselinesand

ITO’saboutTownsville’stourismidentity–ie.

whatareweknownfor?

 AlackofunderstandingoftheTownsvillePort’s

capabilityintermsofthesizeofshipsit

can

accept;

 Townsvilledoesnothavetheaspirationalappeal

asadestinationforcruiseshippassengerswhen

sellingitineraries.

Basedonthatfeedback,toensurethatTownsvilleis

includedinthefutureitineraryplanningofcruise

lines,theregionneedstodevelop:

 abroaderrangeofshore‐basedexcursion



productthatiscurrentlyonoffer(seetable

below)thatisuniqueanddistinguishesitself

fromotherdestinationsontheEastern

seaboard;

 Productthatisexclusivelyavailabletothe

cruiseship(ie.can’tbepurchasedoffthe

street);

 Bettermarketingofthecity



TownsvilleTourPackages‐2015



 

22

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



TheWelcomeExperience



WhiteShips

SincetheJanuary2015,thewelcomeanddeparture

experienceinTownsvillehasbeenimprovedto

include:

 Clear“welcome”anddirectionalsignageonBerth

10andinsideQuaysideTerminal;

 Livemusic/entertainmentinsideQuayside

Terminalandontheberthfordeparture;

 Redcarpetatthebottomofthestairsinside



terminal;

 Uniformedvolunteers(TEL)andportstaff

welcomeeachpassengerastheydisembarkand

provideassistanceanddirectionswherepossible

tocreateagreatfirstimpression;

 Liveanimal‐handlingdisplays;

 Markets/stallsintheCBD;

 LiveentertainmentinTownsvilleBulletinSquare;

 Advancenoticeprovidedtothe

communityvia

extensivesocialmediaadvertisingandtraditional

mediabroadcasts.

 VolunteerstowelcomepassengersinTownsville

BulletinSquare;

 AfreeshuttlebusoperatedbythePortthatruns

aloopfromthecitytoStrand,PalmerStreetand

returntocity.

GreyShips

AllgreyshipvisitstoTownsvillearetreatedinthe

highestregardbythePortofTownsville.Inaugural

shipvisitsaregreetedbytheChiefExecutiveOfficer

whopresentsaplaquetotheCaptain.



Portoperationsstaffensurethatallgreyshiparrivals

receivethehighestorderofattentionin

termsof

levelsoflogisticalandoperationalrequirements. 



Localmediaprovideoutstandinglocalcoverageof

welcomes,withthelocalnewspaper(Townsville

Bulletin)recentlypublishing“welcome”wrapsfor

visitingships.



Theexistingcoordinatedapproachfromkey

stakeholdersworkswellandfeedbackfromboth

whiteandgreyshipsreflectthislevelof

organisation.



CaseStudy

Gladstone

TheCityofGladstone,locatedapproximatelyfour

hoursdrivesouthofTownsville,begantheplanning

stagesin2013totransformthecityintoanappealing

cruiseshipdestination.In2016,Gladstonereceived

itsfirstwhiteshipinMarch,thePacificDawn,with

morethan2,000passengersonboard.Thecity

expects17vesselstovisitduring2017.



MediaArticle–ABC,10

March2016

Gladstonecelebratesarrivaloffirstcruiseshipas

portcitydiversifiesamidstresourcesdownturn



Aftertwoyearsofplanning,historyhasbeenmadein

Gladstonewiththearrivalofitsfirstcruiseship.The

PacificDawndockedonThursdaymorningwith2,000

passengersonboard.



TravellersspentabouteighthoursinGladstone,taking

inthesightsofthecityandparticipatinginlocaltours.

TourismhasbecomeabigfocusforcentralQueensland

astheregionattemptstodiversifyitseconomyamidst

thedownturninresources.



Thecruiseship'sarrivalcoincidedwithnewsQueensland

AluminaLimitedwasnegotiatingwithunionsaboutthe

possibilityof60positionsbeingcutfromitsGladstone

operations.GladstoneMayorGail

Sellerssaiditwas

importantforthecitytomaximiseopportunitiesoutside

ofresources.



"We'vegottolookatdifferentareas;ifwe'relosing

thosejobs,wehavetolookathowwe'regoingtotakeit

up,"shesaid."Andlet'shopethatideaslikethiscan

causenew

jobs.



"It'snotjustGladstonethat'sgoingtobenefitoutof

this;it'sthewholeextendedcentralQueenslandarea

andsouthernGreatBarrierReef."



P&OCruisespokespersonDavidJonessaidthelocal

councilandcommunitygroupshadcampaignedhardto

makeGladstoneanattractivedestinationforcruise

ships."Gladstone's

reallyactuallywrittenthetextbook

onhowtobeafantasticcruisedestination‐they

actuallycametousandaskedthequestion:'Whatdo

weneedtodotobeafantasticcruisedestination?

Whatwe'veseenis110percentcooperation."



MrJonessaidbringingthe70,000tonnesuperliner

to

Gladstonehadbeenacomplexoperationinvolving

AustralianCustomsandBorderProtection,thelocal

councilandtourismbodies.Hesaidwhilesomepeople

hadquestionedthedecisiontoincludeGladstoneon

PacificDawn'sitinerary,thecityhadalottooffer.



"Peoplesaytous,whywouldyoutake

acruiseshipto

anindustrialport?Butthefactis,IthinkAustraliansare

fascinatedbynation‐buildinginfrastructure,"hesaid.

"AnothergreatthingaboutGladstone—it'sabeautiful,

veryattractivecityandit'sgotasortofoasisfeelabout

it,sopassengerscanenjoythemarkets

andallthefun

andexcitementdownhere,buttheycanhaveacoffee

upinthemainstreet,doabitofshopping;it'sgot

everythinggoingforit.”



GladstoneAreaPromotionandDevelopmentLtdchief

executiveDarrylBranthwaitesaidhehopedthePacific

Dawnwouldbethefirst

ofmanycruiselinerstodockin

Gladstone.



HesaidportsfurthernorthontheQueenslandcoast,

suchasAirlieBeach,hadgreatlybenefitedfromthe

cruisingindustry.



"Fiveyearsago[AirlieBeach]startedoffwith10ships,

nowthey'reupto56bookedinthisyear[and]Cairnsis



nowknockingon100ayear,"hesaid.



White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



SHIPATTRACTIONINITIATIVES

ACTIONSANDTIMELINE



SuccessfulimplementationofthisActionPlanreliesonappropriateresourcingandprioritisationoftasksto

improveTownsville’sattractivenessasadestination,aswellasgarneringstrongstakeholderengagementand

support.



ThethreekeystakeholdermembersoftheWhiteandGreyShip‐AttractionCommittee,PortofTownsvilleLimited,

TownsvilleCityCouncil

andTownsvilleEnterprise;will taketheleadinimplementingthisplanandwillworkclosely

withotherkeystakeholderstopromotesuccessfuloutcomes.

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



Objectives



Objective1 Maintainawhole‐of‐citycoordinatedapproachtoshipattractionvia

theWhiteandGreyShip‐AttractionCommittee

Objective2 BuildandFosterstrongindustryandcommunitypartnerships

Objective3 Providereliableandefficientandsafeportfacilitiesandservices

soughtafterbywhiteandgreyships

Objective4 Enhancevisitorserviceinfrastructuretomeetexpectations

Objective5 Destinationfirst‐classlandsideproduct(shoreexcursions)

Objective6 DestinationMarketingandAwareness

Objective7 DestinationSustainability&HomePorting

 

26

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



Actions Stakeholder TargetDate

 Produceanassessmentoftheannualcostsinvolvedinhostingwhite

shipsinTownsville(basedonvisitnumberseachyear)anddetermine

futurefundingforsuchexpenses

 MaintainamonthlymeetingscheduleoftheWGSACtoensurethat

momentumofsettasksandobjectivessetoutinthePlanismaintained

 CommunicatetheprogressoftheWGSACthroughlocalmediaand

industrymedia;aswellasthesocialmedianetworksofthemembers

 Produceahalfyearlyreportforoutcomesandachievementsofthe

WGSAC,includingreportsoneachcruiseshipvisit,anddisseminateto

thebusinessandgeneralcommunityofTownsville

 ImplementtheactionpointsofthisPlanandreviewprogressattheend

ofeachfinancialyear;adjustingtargetsasrequired

POTL/TEL/TCC



WGSACChair



WGSACAll



WGSAC–All



WGSAC‐All



October 2016



Ongoing



Ongoing



June2017



June2017



Actions Stakeholder/s TargetDate

 Createanannualschedule/targetlistofinteractionwithcruise

stakeholderstoensureTownsvilleisregularlyandadequately

represented.Thisincludesglobalandnationalindustryevents

andshowcases,familsforoperators,scheduledmeetingsetc

 Developan(industry)stakeholdercommunicationmatrixand

assignreportingaccountabilitiesamongtheWGSACmembers

 DevelopanCommunicationPlanfortheWGSACtofacilitate

communicationwiththelocalcommunitytoimprove

understandingoftheeconomicandsocialbenefitsofwhiteand

greyshipvisitstoTownsville

 CreatealistofcommunityengagementopportunitiesforNavy

whilstinTownsville

 Designandfacilitateindustryeducation,trainingand

developmentprograms;publishingatrainingscheduleonthe

TELwebsiteanddistributingthroughnetworks

 Furtherdevelopindustryrelationshipstoensurethat

Townsville’sshore‐basedexcursionsofferingsandport service

capabilityarewellunderstoodbycruiselinesexecutives,

InboundTourOperatorsandindustrydecision‐makers.Prepare

“leave‐behind”materialforface‐to‐facemeetings



TEL



TEL/POTL/TCC/TEQ



TEL/POTL/TCC



WGSAC‐All



TEL/TEQ



TEL/POTL

October2016



November2016



December2016



October2016



December2016



January2017



Objective1:

Awhole‐of‐citycoordinatedapproachtoshipattractionviatheWhiteandGrey

Ship‐AttractionCommittee

Objective2:

BuildandFosterStrongIndustryandCommunityPartnerships

27

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



Actions Stakeholder/s TargetDate

PARTA–SafeandWelcomingport

 Ensurepolicyofguaranteedberthbookingsisupheld

 Providesafe,cleanandwelcomingthoroughfareandamenities

fromthegangwaytogroundtransportoptionsoutsideQuayside

Terminal

 Maintainasecurepassengerterminalandportareaby

implementingbestpracticesecurityarrangements

 BuildcomfortandamenitylevelofBerth10/QuaysideTerminal

toincludefeaturessuchasfreeWIFI,andfoodandbeverage

availability

 Developanda“PortFacts”flyertocruiselinestoensurethatall

areawareofthecapacityoftheTownsvillePortaswellas

amenitiesavailabletoships

 Facilitatefirst‐classwelcomeanddepartureexperiences:

o Captainandcrewaremetpersonallybyseniormembers

ofPortofTownsvilleandCityofTownsville

representative.

o PassengersaregreetedbyportstaffandTELvolunteers

andprovidedwithadequateinformationupon

disembarkationincludingdirectiontogroundtransport

options.

o Passengersshuttlingtothecityaremetwithfriendly

welcomes,liveentertainmentandadequateinformation

tosampleourcityandregion.



PARTB–Developandenhancemaritimefacilitiestomeetthe

needsoffuturecruiseshipspecifications

 Facilitatesimulationsforcruiselinestoenableplanningofnew

vesselcallstoTownsville

 Identifygapsandpossibleenhancementrequirementsofport

terrestrialfacilitiestoimproveuserexperience(ieshaded

walkways,travelatortoreplacestairsetc.)

 Increasethewidthofchannelstofacilitateaccessofcruise

shipsupto300metresinlengthby2021



POTL



POTL



POTL



POTL



POTL



WGSAC‐All



POTL/MSQ



POTL



POTL



Ongoing



Ongoing



Ongoing



December2016



December2016



Ongoing



July2017



July2017



January2021





Objective3: 

Providereliable,efficientandsafeportfacilitiesandservicesrequiredbywhiteand

greyships

28

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



Actions Stakeholder/s TargetDate

 Provide“tourguideapp”forTownsvilleandensuredownloadlocationis

sufficientlyadvertisedatQuaysideTerminalandthroughoutthecity

 ConductsurveysofcruisepassengersvisitingTownsvilleandobtain

researchthatidentifiesstrengthsandweaknessesofcurrenttourism

productsandthe“cityexperience”intheareasof:

o Hygienefactors(shade,waterseatingetc).

o Transportprovision

o Retail–includingserviceandopeninghours

o Foodandbeveragequality

o Welcomeactivities/services(includingWIFI)

o Visitorinformationandsignage

 Producereportonsurveydataandidentifyactionpoints–incorporate

intoWGSASifappropriate

 ProduceagapanalysisontourisminfrastructureandservicesforCityof

Townsvilleincludingsignage,shadedareas,andinterpreteravailability.

MakeavailabletoCouncillorsforconsiderationinCouncilbudget

processes

 ReviewtheoperationofmarketsintheCBDthatcanoperatewhen

cruiseshipsareinTownsville

 ExamineoptionsforStateand/orFederalfundingfortourisminitiatives

inTownsville

TCC



TEL/POTL/TCC



TEQ/Chair



TEL/TCC



TCC



TEL/TCC/PORT

Dec2016



June2017



June2017



June2017



Nov2017



Dec2017



Actions Stakeholder/s TargetDate

 Conductanauditofexistingshoretouringproducttoidentifygapsin

relationtocurrenttrends

 ConductacomparisonofTownsvilleproductofferings(bycategory)

withgeographicallycompetitiveportstoidentifypossibleoverlaps

 Developanindustryguidelinesanddevelopmentkitfortouroperators

 Workwithtouroperatorstoeducateindustryonstandardcruise

commissionstructures,termsandplanningtimeframes

 Workwithcurrentlyuncontractedproduct,orworktoestablishnew

product,aligningwiththetrendcategoriesasidentifiedonpage21of

thisdocument,aimingtoexpandtheshoreactivitychoices,encourage

repeatvisitationandensurebettercustomerexperiencesinTownsville

 Promotethedeliveryofqualitytourismproductbyofferingongoing

training,feedbackandproductdevelopmentservices

 Promotenew/enhancedproductofferingstotravelintermediariesand

industrypublications

TEL



TEL



TEL/TEQ/ITO



TEL



TEL



TEL/POTL



TEL/PORT

November 2016



November2016



December2016



December2016



Ongoing



Ongoing



Ongoing





Objective4:

Enhancevisitorserviceinfrastructuretomeetexpectationsofthemoderntraveller

Objective5:

Ensurefirst‐classlandside

roduct

(

shoreexcursions

)

29

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



Actions Stakeholder/s TargetDate



 Obtainsurveydatafromcruiseshippassengersarrivinginto

Townsvilletoobtainbaselinesatisfactiondataandproduceareport

fortheWGSAC



 FacilitatedirectmarketingofTownsvilleasanattractivecruise

destinationtothecruiseindustrythatconsidersallformsof

marketingoptionsincludingdigital,social,traditional,trade,event,

PRandfamiliarisations)



 PromotethechangesinTownsville’sshore‐based excursion

offeringsandcapabilitiesofthecityandregionviaquarterlymedia

releasesandupdatestolocal,nationalandinternationaloutlets

TEL/TEQ



TEL/TEQ



TEL/POTL/TCC/TEQ



June2017



June2017



FirsteditionDec

2016then

quarterly



Actions Stakeholder/s TargetDate

 Monitortrendsanddeveloptourismproductstoaligninfuture

planningbasedonthegapanalysisofshore‐basedexcursionproduct



 Facilitateanongoingmediareleaseandpublicationscheduleto

ensurethatTownsvilleiskept“frontofmind”inbothcruiselinesand

itineraryplanners



 Createa“HomePorting”Strategywitha2021targetinmind



TEL



TEL/POTL



WGSAC‐All



Ongoing



Ongoing



July2017





Objective7:

DestinationSustainability&HomePorting

Objective6:

DestinationMarketingandAwareness

30

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



APPENDIXA



CruiseshipsvisitstoAustraliain2015/2016thatcouldhavebeenaccommodatedinto

theTownsvillePort:



 Ship Line Length(m) Pax/Crew

1 Albatross PhoenixReisen 185 940/330

2 Amadea PhoenixReisen 193 600/280

3 Amsterdam HollandAmericaLine 238 1380/647

4 MVArtania PhoenixReisen 231 1188/537

5 Astor CruiseVoyages 176 590/300

6 Balmoral FredOlsen 218 1778

7 BlackWatch FredOlsen 205 820

8 ColumbusII HapagLloyd 181 824

9 CrystalSymphony CrystalCruises 238 922/545

10 Europa HapagLloydCruises 197 408/264

11 Insignia OceanaCruises 180 684/400

12 L’Austral PonantCruises 142 264/136

13 MagellanCruise Cruise&MaritimeVoyages 222 1452/660

14 NationalGeographic NationalGeographic 103 169/64

15 OceanPrincess PrincessCruises 181 826/373

16 OceanicDiscover CoralPrincessCruises 63 72/20

17 Orion LinbladExpeditions 104 70

18 PacificPrincess PrincessCruises 181 686/373

19 PaulGauguin PaulGauguinCruises 157 332/215

20 SeabournOdyssey SeabournCruiseLines 200 450/335

21 SeabournQu est SeabournCruiseLines 198 450

22 SevenSeasMariner RegentSevenCruises 204 708/447

23 SilverDiscover SilverseaCruises 103 120/96

24 SilverSpirit SilverseaCruises 196 540/376

25 SilverShadow SilverseaCruises 186 382/295

26 SilverWhisper  SilverseaCruises 185 388/295

27 SuperstarGemini StarCruises 230 1530

28 SuperstarLibra StarCruises 216 1436

29 SuperstarAquarius StarCruises 230 1511

30 StarPisces StarCruises 177 1009

31 TheTaipan StarCruises 85.5 126

32 Volendam HollandAmericaLine 238 1432/47





31

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



APPENDIXB

CruiseshipsinAustraliathatcanbeaccommodatedinTownsville byTenderservices



 Ship Line Length(m) Pax/Crew

1 MVArcadia P&O 289 1952/976

2 AsukaII CrystalCruises 241 960/545

3 Aurora P&O 270 1878/850

4 CarnivalSpirit Carnival 294 2124

5 CelebrityCentury CelebrityCruises 248 1814/843

6 CelebrityMillennium CelebrityCruises 294 2138/950

7 CrystalSerenity CrystalCruises 250 1070/655

8 DawnPrincess PrincessCruise 261 1998/924

9 SunPrincess PrincessCruise 262 2010/924

10 DiamondPrincess Carnival 290 2670/1100

11 LegendoftheSeas RCL 264 2076/720

12 MSCOrchestra MSCCruises 293 3200/987

13 PacificDawn P&O 245 2020/660

14 PacificJewel P&O 247 2014/621

15 PacificPearl P&O 247 1578/700

16 QueenElizabeth Cunard 294 2547

17 QueenMary2 CunardLine 294 2620/1253

18 RhapsodyoftheSeas RCL 279 2435/765

19 RadianceoftheSeas RCL 293 2501/859

20 SeaPrincess PrincessCruise 261 1950/900





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White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



APPENDIXC

HistoricalwhiteshipvisitstoTownsville



Year Ship Pax Crew

2016

January AzamaraQuest 667 401

February SilverWhisper 380 300

February MSAmsterdam 1380 900

May MSInsignia  

2015 

January   

February L’Austral 199 145

February SeabournOdyssey 449 337

March OceanPrincess 587 391

2014   

March Europa 301 288

March SeabournOdyssey 434 327

February Columbus2 472 357

February SevenSeaVoyager 672 474

January SevenSeaVoyager 684 454

December SeabournOdyssey 450 320

2013

October Volendum 1,328 589

December SeabournOdyssey 432 280

February SeabournQuest 345 345

January SeabournOdyssey 451 333

March SeabournOdyssey 410 333

2012

January SevenSeaVoyager 647 449

January SpiritofAdventure 212 196

February Discovery 548 275

February SevenSeaVoyager 649 415

March Regatta 679 378





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White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



APPENDIXD

WhiteandGreyShip‐AttractionCommitteeMembership

AsatSeptember2016



Inalphabeticalorder:



 4TOFM(StevePrice)

 Campbell’sCoaches

 ISSShipping

 MaritimeSafetyQueensland

 PortofTownsvilleLimited(POTL)

 QuestApartmentsPalmerStreet

 RoyalAustralianNavy

 SealinkQueensland

 TownsvilleCityCouncil(TCC)

 TownsvilleEnterpriseLimited(TEL)

 Tourism&EventsQueensland 

(TEQ)

 TourismOperators&BusinessesMagneticIsland(TOBMI)

 TownsvilleHelicopters

 TownsvilleTaxis



34

White&GreyShipAttractionPlan2016‐2021



APPENDIXE

References



 CruiseLineInternationalAssociationAustralasia“CruiseIndustrySourceMarketReport,OceanCruise

Passengers,Australia2015”,releasedMay2016.



 CruiseDownunder“AECGroupEconomicImpactAssessmentoftheCruiseShippingIndustryinAustralia,

2014/2015”,releasedSeptember2015



 TownsvilleEnterprise,“DestinationTourismPlanTownsvilleNorthQueensland”,released2014



 AustralianCruiseAssociationConference,Darwin,September2015



 CruiseLinesInternationalAssociation(CLIA)“StateoftheIndustry2016”



35