Durban - The rapidly-growing global cruise tourism sector holds “an ace” to propel South Africa’s economic development despite tough economic times, as passenger arrivals at the Port of Durban are expected to hit the one million mark by 2025.
MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Sihle Zikalala, speaking at the launch of the 2016/17 cruise season when the MSC Sinfonia sailed into port on Tuesday from Venice, said despite tough economic times the global sector continued to grow at 3.4% annually since 2003.
The MSC Sinfonia arrived with 2 500 international and local passengers. The liner has 980 cabins. A recent revamp increased her length by 24m.
Zikalala said the Cruise Lines International Association had commissioned a study which showed an upsurge in the cruise-line industry’s impact on the global market. About 939 232 people were employed full-time in the sector.
“Cruise tourism is one of the subsectors holding an ace for this province and the country’s growth prospects,” Zikalala said.
About 145 000 passengers are expected to visit Durban this cruise season.
“This is regarded as a growing business with an expected number of passengers gracing our shores hitting the one million (a year) figure by 2025,” Zikalala said.
Port of Durban manager Moshe Motlohi said MSC Cruises was one of 14 cruise-line operators serving the country this season and the MSC Sinfonia was one of 20 liners that would call at six of the country’s ports.
Moshe said the Durban cruise market had grown from 81 800 passengers 10 years ago to nearly 145 000 last season.
MSC Cruises marketing director Alan Foggitt said the company would replace MSC Sinfonia with the larger MSC Musica in the 2018/19 season.