The meeting discussed coordinating cruise ship visits to Broome. The Chamber of Commerce previously coordinated activities but could no longer do so with the same funding. A working group was formed to take over coordination, including providing transportation and information for disembarked passengers. Concerns were raised that not all businesses opened to welcome passengers. The working group will develop a new strategy for the upcoming season.
The meeting discussed coordinating cruise ship visits to Broome. The Chamber of Commerce previously coordinated activities but could no longer do so with the same funding. A working group was formed to take over coordination, including providing transportation and information for disembarked passengers. Concerns were raised that not all businesses opened to welcome passengers. The working group will develop a new strategy for the upcoming season.
The meeting discussed coordinating cruise ship visits to Broome. The Chamber of Commerce previously coordinated activities but could no longer do so with the same funding. A working group was formed to take over coordination, including providing transportation and information for disembarked passengers. Concerns were raised that not all businesses opened to welcome passengers. The working group will develop a new strategy for the upcoming season.
The meeting discussed coordinating cruise ship visits to Broome. The Chamber of Commerce previously coordinated activities but could no longer do so with the same funding. A working group was formed to take over coordination, including providing transportation and information for disembarked passengers. Concerns were raised that not all businesses opened to welcome passengers. The working group will develop a new strategy for the upcoming season.
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NOTES FROM CRUISE SHIP MEETING
THURSDAY 22 JANUARY SHIRE OF BROOME FUNCTION ROOM
CHAIR: JAMES BROWN Broome Tourism Group James opened the meeting, thanking everyone for their attendance and the excellent interest that had been shown. A number of apologies were noted. As an introduction James gave a background to the release of the Broome Tourism Strategy after widespread industry consultation involving 80 individual interviews plus a number of group meetings. The Broome Tourism Group comprises of 5 institutional members Shire of Broome, Broome Visitors Centre, Australias North West, Chamber of Commerce and Broome International Airport plus 5 industry members James Brown from Cygnet Bay Pearls (Chairman), Michael Leake from Habitat Resort, Natasha Mahar from The Great Escape Charter Company, Dannielle Hart from Kimberley Accommodation and Tony Lee from Yawuru Corporation. He summarized the issue for Broome as being less people, less time and less money and that the Group would be working to reverse this by focusing on 6 pillars identified in the Strategy. The role of the Broome Tourism Group was as a facilitator for this meeting. Development of the cruise ship industry fitted within the aims of the group, but they would not take an active role in the servicing of ships as a volunteer organization with no resources or funding. PRESENTATION OF CRUISE SHIP OPERATIONS Gail Gower A powerpoint presentation (circulated with these minutes) was presented. This presentation had been given by Intercruises one of the Ground Handlers for ships visiting Broome at a meeting in February 2014 and provided by Tourism Western Australia. The key points from the presentation are noted below : Cruise Lines expect : Turnarounds efficient journey between land and ship for all guests, crews and supplies Shore excursions (Shorex) fully organised, punctual and safe tours while ashore The entire destination must work together The local community should be enthusiastic about the cruise ship call Profitable Shore excursions are a key source of onboard revenue for the ship. If the ship doesnt make money they wont come to the port. Only 50% of cruise ship pax will take a tour other 50% and crew will spend money independently in the destination. The ships visiting Broome are generally around 2,000 pax and can have between 600-1000 crew. Glynn Batten, Manager of the Mangrove Hotel who has worked onboard cruise ships, stressed the importance of the crew spend and said for some businesses (i.e. hotels/bars) can be more substantial than the passenger spend. Offering special deals to the crew can be very worthwhile. Contact for this would need to be via the ship direct. Example of inaugural visit by Diamond Princess to Busselton in November was quoted: 2589 Pax, 1085 Crew 2,000 disembarked - average age of pax 70.4 years 30% did organised tour, 60% explored independently, 10% took free shuttle to Dunsborough 85% said they would return again and 45% said it would be for over 6 days Economic impact of the visit was estimated in the vicinity of up to $300,000 Busselton demonstrated a strong community spirit and had 104 volunteers to assist
A list of Cruise Ship visits for 2015/16 compiled by the Kimberley Ports Authority (Port of Broome) was distributed and is being circulated with these notes. Tour operators wanting to sell their product to cruise ship passengers need to contact either Intercruises or Abercrombie & Kent who are the two businesses handling ships coming to Broome. Businesses wanting contact details can get these from Gail. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Chamber of Commerce had taken over the coordination role. In the absence of an official Chamber representative Elizabeth Lucke provided an overview of how this had operated. Transfers from the ship dropped pax at the Roebuck Bay Hotel carpark they provided shade and water and pax had access to toilets. On certain occasions Night Markets had been held. Broome Visitor Centre staff were on hand to provide provide information about other tour options available. A Welcome to Broome map was distributed. Core costs involved $500 to volunteer groups such as Surf Lifesaving Club to provide volunteers for meet and greet. The Chamber had put their hand up for this coordination role because of no other interest to do this and received $15,000 from the Shire of Broome in 2014. They had indicated to the Shire that they could not undertake the role in 2015 with the same funding support. SHIRE OF BROOME Graeme Campbell confirmed the Shire had been requested to provide more funding, but with financial pressures on the Shire and limited resources if this funding were to be increased it would likely have to come from existing funding allocated to Australias North West/Broome Visitor Centre. He felt there was a need for those benefitting from Cruise Ship visits to contribute and a Working Group to be formulated to support the coordination role. GENERAL POINTS RAISED
Departure time of ships may not allow for Night Markets. These seem to have been well supported by locals rather than cruise ship pax who often return to the ship for dinner. The Ground Handler contracts the buses and makes decisions on where pax will be dropped. This is done via Pearl Town Bus Service and Broome Taxis. The point was made that people are keen to hear what they can do on arrival can meet and greet staff be put on the buses for this? Discussion on who benefits from Cruise Ship visits. Retail business, tour operators (mainly limited to those who are contracted to the ship), transport providers. Why was the Roebuck Bay Hotel chosen central location, parking for buses and willingness of the Hotel to support with water for pax etc. Roebuck Bay Hotel indicated they are happy to continue to offer their premises in 2015. Broome Visitor Centre was mentioned as that has been used in the past to drop pax and was a purpose built facility with toilets, large decking space etc. Tarsh Mahar (previous BVC Manager) indicated it had worked well and gave the opportunity for tour operators to promote their tours to pax not booked on Shorex. There is the issue of pax seeing information on tour product that is booked via the ship at a higher price and this has been creating issues. Also elderly pax needing to walk from BVC to Chinatown (which had been addressed with bus transfers available). A free shuttle to the Museum and Sisters of St John of God Heritage Centre had operated from Roebuck Bay Hotel (and previously from the BVC). Museum entry is only $5 and SJOG Heritage Centre free, so good attractions for pax.
Pearl Town Bus Service run their regular service every 15 minutes allowing pax to transfer to Cable Beach and distributing them around town. Need to look at the demographics of each individual ship. The money they spend in town will be dependent on whether an International or Australian ship, age of the pax, how long it has been since last Port and where previous/next stop is. Can be a challenge for retailers, when the ship is going through to Bali for example. Pax are not always happy with the process of getting off the ship. There are often delays with this. Passengers on Shorex will get priority and other pax may wait a considerable length of time to get off. This is an issue for the ship/ground handler not with the provision of transfer services and access in Broome. Retail it was noted that shops dont always open because they dont feel they will get enough business and this is detrimental to the picture we present. We need to have wide community support to present a worthwhile picture of Broome as an eager, vibrant town. Goolarri mentioned they could do a Taste of Broome type event, but this would be at Goolarri and could pull pax away from Chinatown/Cable Beach.
PORT OF BROOME Noted it was difficult to provide any meet and greet at gangway pax are wanting to get to town as quickly as possible and security conditions at the Port limit access without MSIC Card. It was stressed security regulations are enforced by the Office of Transport and Security (OTS) and not flexible. Despite pressure on the Port from general business including increasing Oil & Gas, cruise ships get priority for berthing as booked 2 years in advance. Question was raised as to whether Port can be handle bigger ships. Would need a $300million expansion, which has been proposed to expand Port capabilities. It was raised that Ports such as Geraldton, support with funds for each visit. No written request has been made to the Port for funding to support visits and this would need to be made in an official proposal. FIRST VISIT 26 March Pacific Jewel. Would need to establish what Ground Handler has committed to in terms of transfers etc. FORMATION OF WORKING GROUP Shire of Broome, Broome Visitor Centre, Chamber of Commerce, Roebuck Bay Hotel expressed interest in being involved. Further expressions of interest after the meeting have been received from : Pearl Town Bus Service Melissa McDougall Broome Taxis Shayne Murray Yawuru Maggie MacFie Willie Creek Pearls Paul Birch Ozbrero Fiona Sharpe A meeting would need to be held in the near future to formulate a strategy for welcoming the ships (meet and greet location and facilities etc.) and determining the level of support that would be provided (would this be subject to the level of spend anticipated for example). Shire can provide a venue for the meetings. Other parties interested in being in the Working Group, please email [email protected] . A meeting date will be set and advised to interested parties.
