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TOURISM Hunter has been left red-faced after a major cruise ship decided against visiting Newcastle because of a planned anti-coal protest.
The tourism body’s chairman, Will Creedon, was personally embarrassed that protesters had forced the cancellation of the much-hyped Insignia Cruises stopover.
He said the cruise liner made the decision to cancel the stay because it feared the weekend protest – organised by 350.org – would be a safety risk to passengers.
The protest has previously seen canoes wade in front of moving ships.
“They (Insignia Cruises) couldn’t take any chances,” Mr Creedon said, adding it took many months of negotiation to secure the visit.
Liberal and Labor MPs roundly condemned the protesters as “reckless” and self-defeating, costing the region an estimated $250,000 in visitor spending.
But 365.org campaign director Charlie Wood said protesters had no intention of disrupting the cruise ship, insisting the event was “peaceful and safe”.
