news, local-news, Freycinet, Wineglass Bay, Luke Martin, Cruise ships, Freycinet Cruises, Wineglass Bay cruises, Michael Kent, Glamorgan Spring Bay

Tasmania’s peak tourism body wants cruise ships out of Freycinet. The appearance of the ships has become more common over the last year, with an influx expected in the near future, according to Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin. Mr Martin said the ships were a blight on the Freycinet Peninsula. “I think the majority of other visitors to Wineglass Bay would not expect to climb up to the lookout and see a cruise ship in the bay,” he said. “It’s not what Tasmania is about.” Mr Martin commented that cruise passengers only saw the East Coast from the water, providing no economic benefit to local businesses. He would like to see the ships docking at other coastal towns to stimulate local economies and manage the flow of visitors to Freycinet. “If they want to see Wineglass Bay they should go by getting there sustainably and experience it properly,” he said. “If you get them off at Bicheno or Triabunna, and get them on the buses [to Freycinet], it’s a better experience on the land and it still gives people a close access to Coles Bay.” Glamorgan Spring Bay mayor Michael Kent said it was not feasible to stop the flow of cruise ships and flow of visitors to the area. Cr Kent, instead, proposed the area needed improved infrastructure to handle the increasing tourist numbers. “What we need to be doing is creating more scenarios for the people to be able to spend their money,” he said. “[We] need to have some funding from state and federal government.”

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