Carnival Cruise Ship Photo: Carnival
The Chief Executive of Carnival Australia says a lack of hydrographic maps for much of the Pacific rules out many potential destinations for cruise liners.
Ann Sherry is in Vanuatu this week speaking to industry partners about various aspects of her company's business in the country.
She says there is huge potential for growth in the region with more than one million Australians expected to cruise the Pacific within the next five years.
Ms Sherry says new destinations are constantly being sought for cruise liners, but with as little as 10 percent of the region properly mapped, many places cannot even be considered.
"We cant put ships and passengers at risk of running aground or finding sand banks that perhaps didn't exist a hundred years ago when the last map was done. We are actively working with Pacific governments. Not just Vanuatu but Solomons, New Caledonia and other parts of the Pacific looking at potential new destinations."
