Mount planning for five overnight cruise ships this season

Cruise ship Silver Whisper leaves Tauranga. Cruise ships are expected to start staying overnight in Mount Maunganui next season. Photo/file

For the first time, five cruise ships will be berthing in Tauranga overnight this season and Mount Mainstreet is hoping to cash in on the opportunity.

Mount Mainstreet manager Ingrid Fleming made her first six-monthly presentation to Tauranga City Council yesterday, talking about the positive state-of-play with one of the busiest winters businesses had seen.

Mount Mainstreet manager Ingrid Fleming is hoping Mount Maunganui will be able to cash in on five overnight cruise ship arrivals this season. Photo/file

With five cruise ships booked in for the coming season to stay overnight in Tauranga, Councillor Catherine Stewart asked Mrs Fleming whether any plans had been made by the Mainstreet membership to take advantage of the opportunities this would bring.

Mrs Fleming said the Mainstreet members were keen to get something started and stay open later, but there were other factors to consider.

"We have a great opportunity to leave lasting memories and be able to do something positive here for the Bay. That, I believe, needs to be a collaborative approach with Tourism Bay of Plenty due to Mount Mainstreet's budget.

"Wouldn't it be fantastic to do something special on those nights? But what will be important is to make sure there is nothing much happening on the cruise ship that night.

"We need to know that we have the support from the ship and also from Tourism Bay of Plenty to leave the port open until that particular time of night as well. We need to know that we will have a reasonable amount of passengers that would like to look further than just the ship."