Maritime Minister Tells Travel Weekly Cruise Restart is a ‘Priority’

The UK's maritime minister says supporting a "pathway" back for the return of cruising is one of his priorities

The UK’s maritime minister has told Travel Weekly that supporting a “pathway” back for the return of cruising is one of his priorities.

Robert Courts said he expects the sector to “come back stronger and more ambitious than ever” and praised how cruise lines have worked with government to create the framework for when sailings resume.

In a statement to Travel Weekly readers for the annual cruise-themed edition, he said: “Our cruise industry has been hit hard by Covid-19 and the government has worked alongside the sector to prepare for a safe and successful restart.

“Our £10bn a year cruise sector, which supports over 80,000 jobs, is a true British success story. Throughout the pandemic, despite the difficulties it has faced, the sector has shown resilience and vigour and that is down to the individuals who make up our industry.

“Last year, the cruise sector spent significant amount of time learning lessons from the start of the pandemic and putting in place mitigations to create a Covid-19 secure environment on board. This hard work is reflected in the industry’s Covid-19 Framework for Cruise. We continue to work closely with the sector leadership, and provide support in mapping the restart route and enable cruises to prepare to set sail as soon it is safe to do so.

“Enabling the pathway for cruises to restart when the conditions allow is a priority for me. I am confident that the sector is going to come back stronger and more ambitious than ever before, and the government stands behind them in these aims.”

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