Cruise shipping in Tasmania: a symbol of prosperity or pain?

Cruise shipping remains the subject of much debate in Tasmania and is a highly emotive issue. To some it is a symbol that Tasmania has ‘made it’ as a tourism destination. To others, it is cause for great concern as it symbolises mass tourism and has a variety of negative impacts. This chapter will explore these debates by assessing the environmental, social and economic impacts of cruise shipping in Tasmania, both positive and negative. It concludes with a number of recommendations, with a view to reaching an amenable middle ground.