Sustainability Launch (l to r): Johnson Sausiara, Manager Iarofa Cultural Village, Vanuatu Omayra Naisseline,  Loyalty Island Province Tourism Agent, New Caledonia Ann Sherry, Carnival Australia CEO Luke Mangan, Chef Elodie Jaunay, General Manager of Kenua Agency, New Caledonia Marie Pierre Sausiara, Vanuatu Rika Hotere, Co-Manager of Kumaia Tours, Isle of Pines, New Caledonia
	Sustainability Launch Ann Sherry and Pacific Island Guests (l to r) Omayra Naisseline,  Loyalty Island Province Tourism Agent, New Caledonia Elodie Jaunay, General Manager of Kenua Agency, New Caledonia Marie Pierre Sausiara, Vanuatu Ann Sherry, CEO Carnival Australia Johnson Sausiara, Manager Iarofa Cultural Village, Vanuatu Rika Hotere, Co-Manager of Kumaia Tours, Isle of Pines, New Caledonia

P&O Cruises today released its third annual Sustainability Report covering activities and achievements in 2011 in addressing its environmental, economic and social impact in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

In addition to marking 80 years of cruising from Australia to the Pacific Islands, the report emphasised P&O Cruises’ commitment to sustainable tourism with the increasing number of cruise ship visits to island destinations.

Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia, which operates P&O Cruises, launched the report in Sydney at an event which included community and tourism leaders at the forefront of tourism initiatives in the Pacific Islands.

“Our partnerships with island communities and our commitment to sustainable tourism are now fundamental to the way we do business,” Ms Sherry said.

“We live it every day by minimising our environmental footprint and helping to safeguard the vibrant island cultures that are so vital to our passengers’ cruise experience.”

P&O Cruises’ increased number of cruise ship visits highlighted the cruise industry’s general expansion in which nearly 625,000 Australians took a cruise holiday in 2011 – 34% more than in 2010 and the seventh consecutive year of double digit industry growth.

In 2011, P&O Cruises recorded increases of 27.5% in passengers, 44% in passenger cruise days, 31% in nautical miles travelled, 30% in port calls and 40% in unique shore tours across its full cruise operations.

According to the Sustainability Report, P&O Cruises’ progress in minimising its environmental footprint included.

- A 14% reduction in carbon emissions per passenger per cruise day
- A 5% reduction in fuel used per available lower berth per kilometre
- A 33% reduction in black water discharged to sea per person per day.

At the launch, held at Luke Mangan’s restaurant Glass, Ms Sherry welcomed Elodie Jaunay from Noumea, Omayra Naisseline from Mare, Rika Hotere from Isle of Pines and Johnson Sausiara from Port Vila describing them as “the champions who have recognised and seized the economic opportunities of cruise tourism.”