DEBBIE SUMMERS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | CRUISE
For the past thirty years, Debbie has worked for cruise destinations and the wider cruise industry to both progress and advocate for the industry within national and international forums. She has been involved in a wide range of cruise shipping operations from port agency, shore excursions (from initial development through to delivery), on board port lecturer, itinerary planner, product and infrastructure development and as an on board environmental observer.
Having strong key relationships with the vast majority of the world’s cruise companies she moved to New Zealand in 2007 to work for ID Tours NZ, NZ’s largest Ground Handler based in Auckland. Debbie has expanded NZ shore excursion programmes and ship itineraries working closely with many key regional cruise tourism stakeholders.
Debbie has sat on the Board of Cruise New Zealand for 15 years (Chairman for 7 years). NZCA is the advocacy voice of the New Zealand cruise industry. Debbie also sat on the Advisory to the Tourism Future Taskforce Board established in New Zealand during Covid. Debbie sits on the Board of Tourism Industry Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest independent association that represents all sectors of tourism for the past 5 years and she is Vice-Chair of The World’s Leading Ground Operators. Most recently she has been invited to sit on the Auckland Council City Advisory Panel and will represent the tourism and cruise voice within this forum.
