by Mat Churchill

18 months ago Port Douglas took another step forward as a premier tourist destination via a Port Douglas Chamber of Commerce multi organisational strategy to provide a welcoming face to cruise ship passengers, with representatives of the tourism industry undertaking an ambassadorial role at Meridien Marina.  

These ambassadors ensure that all visitors who disembark the cruise ship with or without pre-booked tours booked by onboard agents are provided with important information, local knowledge, and a friendly smile to make their brief stay in Port Douglas a positive experience.

The Chamber of Commerce strategy was initiated by Committee Members Meridien Marina and tourismportdouglas.com.au as a way to co-ordinate what had been previously regarded by the cruise ship industry as a   fairly haphazard or hagglers approach to providing tourist information to their non pre-booked     passengers.

The Port Douglas destinational port strategy was originally forged by former Marina Mirage General Manager Kerrie Jamieson in the late 90's with strong alliances with cruise ship management and their on board tour agents.

"We understood the importance of retaining these agent relationships however wanted to build on this by providing incredible customer service to the non pre-booked passengers.  These passengers we often found would be without positive direction or information," explained Sam Cullen, MD tourismportdouglas.com.au. 

The government funded tourism body TPDD has also recognised the value of this strategy and invested on the ground resources to help provide additional information to non pre-booked passengers.

Jason Roles from Meridien Marina has introduced a procedure for businesses who provide arriving passengers with information on their services via a mini 'Trade Show' on the board walk. The procedure simply recognises the importance of a co-ordinated effort, and of course, making the guests feel welcome and relaxed.

"We just want to take a professional approach. The bigger picture is that we want people to come back to Port Douglas and stay for seven nights, take tours to the Daintree (rainforest) or the reef, and eat at our restaurants."

With the presence of the helpful ambassadors and businesses such as Skysafari and Radio Port Douglas who are creating the live atmosphere with onsite helicopter flights and live outside broadcasts, an energetic atmosphere greets the passengers before they depart for their tours or explore the streets of Port Douglas.

Doug Calvert from the Port Douglas Chamber of Commerce (Retail Portfolio) said the overall affect on the town's retail sector has been positive. "Some cruise ships are great (for retail business) and some aren't, but overall with the increase of cruise ships to Port Douglas I think the majority of businesses have felt the benefit."

Chamber of Commerce Vice President and Managing Director of tourismportdouglas.com.au, Sam Cullen, also recognises the potential of the cruise ship industry to the local economy. "It's so important that businesses are conscious of the short and long term benefits of cruise ships. If guests are well received and Port Douglas is shown in a positive light then it will stay in people's minds for when they book their next holiday. Accommodation providers have confirmed that this strategy is worth every effort with recent post Cruise Ship passenger stays confirmed"

With the growing number of cruise ships to Port Douglas comes a growing need for a collective of people to fill the ambassadorial roles. So heed the call and become an ambassador today. A small commitment of your time does provide ongoing benefits to our community.

If you'd like more information on becoming a cruise ship ambassador, please contact tourismportdouglas.com.au on 4099 4540 or Meridien Marina on 4099 5775.