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Wilsons Abel Tasman is among tour operators to miss out on much-needed business from Kiwi passengers aboard Le Lapérouse, a French-owned luxury cruise vessel that has abandoned plans to visit New Zealand.
Passengers booked on now-cancelled cruises around New Zealand will get full refunds, but tourism businesses will still be thousands of dollars out of pocket.
A top end cabin for two on a 10-day cruise cost $65,000, and businesses running shore excursions for the more than 650 well-heeled Kiwis the vessel was to carry over the coming months had high hopes their spending would help offset the lack of overseas visitors.