Jacqui Lloyd: Cruise Association CEO on the rejected ban of cruise ships in Milford Sound

Good news for tourism operators in Milford Sound, as the Government rejects plans to ban cruise ships 

More than $15 million has been invested into infrastructure and conservation upgrades in Milford Sound. 

Cruise ships will also be allowed back in the area, rejecting the 2021 master plan advising against their access to the sound. 

Cruise Association Chief Executive Jacqui Lloyd told Mike Hosking Milford Sound is an icon of a New Zealand itinerary by land or sea. 

She says the option to lose Milford cruises would've impacted the industry in New Zealand.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good news on tourism given just yesterday we had yet
more numbers that reminded us were still not back to
where we were post COVID and we're dragging the chain
of but here. So the government's rejected a plan to
ban cruise ships from entering Milford's Sound. Now the idea
has been around for several years. They want to close
the yestrip as well, the claim being the ships blocked
the scenic views of land based visitors. So Jackie Lloyd

(00:20):
is the Cruise Association's boss and as well as Jackie morning.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
To you, good morning mate.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
So a good move, very good move.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
We're delighted with the outcome.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Okay, so did you have to lobby or was this
just a government who wants to get on with tourism
and it was sort of a phato complee.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
I think it's been a mix of both. Over the
last four years, we've definitely been lobbying and advocating for
crew's access. There's been an agreement with Environments Southland that
all the cruise lines sign up to to ensure that
there's managed access center the sound. So a lot of
that work had already been done and now we have
a government that's very interested in tourism growth. So it's
the stars are aligned, if you like.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
Where does Milford sit in the grand scheme of things
tourism wise for cruises in this country.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
It's very similar to land based. You see the amount
of people that want to get to Melford when there,
when they're coming to New Zealand. It's an icon of
a New Zealand itinery, be it on land or by sea,
and certainly a critical port call for both New Zealand
and South Island itinery. So the option to possibly lose
Melford meant that we could see a reduction, further reduction
and cruise visits to New Zealand and certainly to the

(01:24):
South Island.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
This business. They wanted to close the airstrip, and I
think the astrip was a bit dodgy, but they know
they've got some money now to do something about it.
I mean, are people anti tourism? I mean to close
in the air strip and prevent a ship from going
in one of them? I mean, you're just asking for trouble,
aren't you. I mean, you either want to grow the
country or you don't.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
You do you did, right? But it's so it's the
need to be managed about it. You know, the cruise
ships don't just arrive on the day. They're often booked
two years in advance. As I said, there's an agreement
with Environment Southland on the locations they can go, the
timings that they can enter, the sounds, the amount of
ships that can be any part of Humland at any
one time. So it's not just a willing MILLI tourism.

(02:00):
It is managed and I think the airstrip is the same.
As long as tourism is managed, I think that we
have a really good focus going forward.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
All right, Jackie, nice to talk to you. Jackie Lloyd,
who's the New Zealand Cruis Association in boss. For more
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