Cruise industry calls for freeze on passenger tax

May 8, 2023 – Australia’s cruise industry has joined calls for a freeze on the Passenger Movement Charge (PMC), warning that any further increase will be detrimental to the revival of international tourism across the country.

Ahead of the Federal Budget, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has supported calls for the Australian Government to commit to a five-year freeze on the current PMC rate of $60 per person, which is charged to all Australians and international visitors departing Australia.

CLIA Managing Director in Australasia Joel Katz said many thousands of Australians had been working hard to bring prosperity back the cruise industry, and that they should be supported by the Australian Government instead of hitting travellers with higher taxes.

“Australia’s Passenger Movement Charge is already one of the highest in the world,” Mr Katz said. “Our travel agent members are telling us that now is not the time to put an additional burden on travellers.”

CLIA supports the position of other industry bodies including the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF), the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) and the Australian Airports Association (AAA) in opposing an increase to the PMC.

“Increasing the PMC will only result in more expensive fares for Australian travellers and international visitors,” Mr Katz said. “Any increase will undermine the cruise industry’s efforts to revive its $5 billion-a-year contribution to the national economy and rebuild employment opportunities in destinations around the country.”