One of the largest and most expensive luxury cruise liners in the Pacific will arrive in Port Douglas today, with only a handful of stops scheduled in Australia.

Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree executive officer Doug Ryan said the arrival of the Diamond Princess, which has 2700 passengers, was part of the cruising season with 26 ships headed to Port Douglas in 2013.

“The cruise ship market provides an important boost to our local economy. Our ambassadors ensure that when cruise ships arrive in Port Douglas, they are greeted by a friendly face and a depth of local knowledge so that they can get the most out of their visit.”

Mr Ryan said the tourism ambassador program was an essential part of the cruise ship season.

“Cruise ships are extremely important. There is an average of 2000 people per ship plus crew, which injects around $22 million annually into the local economy.”

Mr Ryan said he was excited about the arrival of the Diamond Princess, which is often referred to as a “city at sea”.

“There are 2700 passengers and a crew of 2200. This is the ultimate luxury offering every entertainment, distraction and amenity cruisers have come to expect from ships of this size.”

He said Port Douglas had seen year on year growth in the cruise market with 34 cruise ships visits planned for 2014 and more as yet unconfirmed.

“TPDD has been working very hard to grow this market. We meet with cruise ship operators at travel and trade expos, as well as host cruise companies in Port Douglas.”

Last year, Port Douglas was recognised as one of Queensland’s leading ports in an independent audit commissioned by Tourism Queensland. Mr Ryan said the result of the audit was a great outcome for Port Douglas.

“When you have 2000 passengers disembarking and visiting for such a short time, there is only a limited window of opportunity to make their stay memorable.”

While Port Douglas accommodation may not receive the benefit tomorrow, it is hoped the taste passengers get for the Port Douglas attractions is enough to bring them back to the region in years to come.

For more information on how to become a tourism ambassador, contact 4099 4588.