The Ovation of the Seas docked at Napier Port Photo: NZ Herald/Paul Taylor
Auckland Council's tourism head says the city is going to be hit hard by a 40 per cent drop off in cruise ships coming this season.
Other ports around the country who welcome cruise ships such as Tauranga and Marlborough are also worried.
The New Zealand Cruise Association says the industry in this country is at a tipping point. The Association's chief executive Jacqui Lloyd says demand is not down - and tourists want to come here - but line operators are making decisions two to three years in advance and many regard New Zealand as a difficult place to come to.
Karen Thompson-Smith is head of tourism at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, hopes this summer season is as low as it goes, and that future seasons will resemble the 2023-2024 summer, where cruise ships brought an estimated $201m to the Auckland economy.
