Picton's Concerns For Returning Cruise Ships
6th April 2022. A number of concerns has been raised by Picton's Smart and Connected group regarding congestion caused by to many cruise ship passengers descending on the town once visitors return.
The Smart and Connected Steering Group are local volunteers dedicated to improving and enhancing Picton as a destination and addressing the issues and opportunities relevant to the area.
One concern that has still not been addressed since the arrival of large cruise ships is local people not wanting to be in town on the same day. Having to queue for a coffee or struggle to walk down otherwise uncrowded footpaths means that local people will plan their visit out side of cruise ship visits which may lead to resentment towards passengers.
With cruises ships companies virtually closed over the previous two years the worry now is that once the borders open they will be selling tickets at reduced rates to fill the boats to capacity and increase visits to try to recoup the losses they have made. Unfortunately the flow on affect of this is a reduction in high spending visitors which will affect not only tour operators but retailers in town as well as a decrease in the quality of service given to visitors.
Destination Marlborough general manager Jacqui Lloyd said the region still had time to 'manage how we look after cruise passengers when they come to the region'. Six years ago in 2016 the former general manager of Destination Marlborough Tracy Johnson had a similar comment "The conversation over the next couple months needs to be about how Picton, and Marlborough more broadly, gears up to respond to the larger numbers of passengers," she said.
The Smart and Connected Steering Group are local volunteers dedicated to improving and enhancing Picton as a destination and addressing the issues and opportunities relevant to the area.
One concern that has still not been addressed since the arrival of large cruise ships is local people not wanting to be in town on the same day. Having to queue for a coffee or struggle to walk down otherwise uncrowded footpaths means that local people will plan their visit out side of cruise ship visits which may lead to resentment towards passengers.
With cruises ships companies virtually closed over the previous two years the worry now is that once the borders open they will be selling tickets at reduced rates to fill the boats to capacity and increase visits to try to recoup the losses they have made. Unfortunately the flow on affect of this is a reduction in high spending visitors which will affect not only tour operators but retailers in town as well as a decrease in the quality of service given to visitors.
Destination Marlborough general manager Jacqui Lloyd said the region still had time to 'manage how we look after cruise passengers when they come to the region'. Six years ago in 2016 the former general manager of Destination Marlborough Tracy Johnson had a similar comment "The conversation over the next couple months needs to be about how Picton, and Marlborough more broadly, gears up to respond to the larger numbers of passengers," she said.
