Queen Mary II to boost Aussie economy

Australia's economy is tipped to get a $10 million boost in 2012 when the luxury
liner Queen Mary 2 circumnavigates the continent.
The Cunard Line passenger ship, which docked in Sydney for the third time on Sunday,
is planning a 2012 program that will see her visit ports in five states and the
Northern Territory.
Ann Sherry, chief executive of Carnival Australia, which represents Cunard in
Australia, said the decision was a sign of confidence in the Australian cruise
market.
"This one decision will generate at least $10 million for the Australian economy as
the local cruise industry remains on track to contribute more than $3 billion and
carry one million Australians annually by 2020," she said in a statement on Monday.
The 2012 voyage will be the longest period Queen Mary 2 has been based in any
country outside her northern hemisphere home ports of Southampton and New York.
She will spend 28 nights in Australian waters after sailing from Cape Town to Sydney
via Fremantle and Adelaide, and then circumnavigate the country.
Fremantle, Adelaide and Sydney will each see two visits from the liner during her
2012 Australian season.
Cunard president and managing director Peter Shanks said in a statement he expected
very strong demand from Australian and international markets when tickets for the
Australian tour go on sale in mid-2010.
The mammoth liner, which is 62 metres tall and 345 metres long, is docked at Garden
Island Naval Base in Sydney's Woolloomooloo until Monday night, when it sets sail
for Adelaide.
Although in Sydney for just one day, the visit is expected to inject more than $1
million into the Sydney economy.