Travel agents report ‘unprecedented demand’ for cruise holidays amid calls for JobKeeper extension

The Gold Coast’s battered cruise industry is seeing a resurgence in holiday bookings with an “unprecedented demand” for cruises giving some business owners high hopes.

Mike and Mandy Dwyer have run their Main Beach travel agency for 21 years and said, despite the pandemic, cruise sales were booming.

“It’s staggering,” Mr Dwyer said.

“The demand is exceeding all expectations at a time when cruising is actually not operating at all.”

Mr Dwyer said his business was taking record bookings for 2022 and 2023 domestic and international cruises, but they would not see the revenue until closer to sailing dates.

He said with the Government’s JobKeeper Payment scheme due to wind back in March, the industry was grasping for extended support amid the renewed demand.

Industry faces ‘tipping point’

Like many business owners, the Dwyers took advantage of the Government’s JobKeeper payment to keep staff employed after the COVID-19 pandemic crippled the travel industry last year.

“JobKeeper has been so important,” Mr Dwyer said.

“It’s the only way we have been able to keep trading. We would’ve run out of funds by now if we didn’t have JobKeeper.”

Mr Dwyer fears some local businesses might be forced to shut their doors when the scheme ends on March 28 and is calling for the subsidy to be extended.

“I think a lot of them will actually close their doors permanently.

“There needs to be some special consideration given to some industries. Our sector is at a tipping point with JobKeeper finishing.

“We hope it will be rolled out at least until the end of June and then reassessed.”

‘Everything on the line’

Mr Dwyer said cruising had seen an industry boom in recent years, but he said small businesses had not been prepared for the coronavirus pandemic.

“[Travel] has been a big growth industry, none of us saw this coming,” he said.

“This is really falling off a cliff.”

But Mr Dwyer said they had put “everything on the line” to stay afloat.

“We are absolutely committed to surviving,” he said.

“I’d say I wouldn’t want to bet my house on it, but I actually have bet my house on it.”

Travellers keen, but agents ‘suffering’

Despite bans on cruise arrivals in Australian waters, Mr Dwyer said cruisers were ready to travel under new safety protocols.

“They’re happy to take the chance, and they do believe the cruise lines will have the right protocols in place.”

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) managing director for Australasia Joel Katz said travel agents were fearful for the future.

“Travel agents are suffering enormously right now,” he said.

Mr Katz said CLIA was lobbying for the extension of the JobKeeper program for travel industry workers.

“We need to support travel agents and other travel industry workers throughout this crisis to safeguard their livelihoods and ensure they’re able to play a part in our national recovery,” he said.