A busy cruise ship season is bringing thousands of visitors to the Whitsundays, creating opportunities for local businesses to showcase their products, services, and experiences.
The Whitsundays is gearing up for another busy cruise season, with ships scheduled to visit Airlie Beach throughout the coming months and local businesses encouraged to plan ahead to make the most of the visitor influx.
Current published itineraries list 87 scheduled calls to Airlie Beach between October 2026 and September 2027, placing the region among Queensland’s major cruise destinations.
For local traders, each ship brings an opportunity to connect with visitors, attract new customers, and put Whitsunday products and experiences on the map.
The Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Airlie Beach Cruise Ship Markets, located at Coconut Grove in Airlie Beach, will be in full swing from 8:30am on scheduled cruise ship days, welcoming visitors and locals alike.
The market showcases local makers, artists, food vendors and retailers – giving visitors an accessible way to discover the region’s creativity, flavours, and local character.
Chamber Portfolio Manager Cait Fleming said cruise season offered an important opportunity for businesses to connect with new audiences.
“Cruise visitors currently spend approximately $76 million in our region and many return for longer stay holidays, said Cait.
Cruise season has become a great opportunity for local businesses to not only increase their revenue but to make a positive strong impression on these visitors.
Whether you’re selling a locally made product, offering an experience or running a business in town, these visitors can become new customers and help spread the word about what makes our region special.”
The Chamber is encouraging local businesses to check upcoming ship dates and prepare for busier trading periods. This could include reviewing stock and staffing, updating opening hours and online listings, promoting visitor-friendly offers, and making it easy for customers to find and contact the business after their visit.
Market traders and businesses should also familiarise themselves with the cruise schedule, as schedules can change.
Local businesses can visit airliebeachmarkets.com.au to check upcoming market dates and find out more.
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