Analysis of the Pacific Coast cruise outlook is vital for tourism interests on both sides of the Canada-US border. Given the importance of the cruise tourism sector to the Pacific Northwest regional economy, this BC Shipping News article explores industry changes that have occurred in the volume of Alaskan and Pacific Coast cruises that have occurred since 2008. Darryl Anderson, Managing Director of Wave Point Consulting also looks at issues driving future growth of cruise tourism in the region.
The 2012 cruise season ended up with more than 13,000 passengers from 2011, for a total 1.2 million passengers. The estimated total economic impact of the cruise industry on the BC economy was $1.3 billion. For more information on the importance of the cruise industry in Alaska and British Columbia see the Cruise BC Association website.
British Columbia and Pacific Coast Cruises
Readers interested in Alaskan, British Columbia, and Pacific Coast Cruise will also be interested in the information found on the Cruise the West website.
The Cruise Lines International Association – North West & Canada website provide the following fact about British Columbia and Pacific Coast cruises:
During the 2012 cruise season, Canadian ports received more than 2 million passengers on more than a thousand cruise ships. In particular, B.C. ports (Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria and Vancouver) accounted for over half of all of Canada’s cruise passenger traffic. Such an influx of activity brought on by the cruise industry generated substantial economic growth.
The Numbers
• Last year saw 1,100 cruise calls with 2.05 million cruise passengers.
• Cruise industry expenditures generated $2.38 billion in total output.
• The industry created 17,661 jobs that paid $780 million in wages and salaries throughout Canada.
• BC accounted for approximately two-thirds of the national impact with 12,252 jobs that paid $532 million in wages.
• Each passenger that visited a B.C. port city last year spent an average of $210 per visit.
• Crew members spent an average of $86 per visit.
The Economic Benefits to the Canadian Economy
• Spending by cruise passengers and crew (shore excursions, food and beverages, retail goods, travel to the port and cruise related spending before and after the voyage).
• Spending by the cruise lines to maintain cruise operations (food and beverages, fuel, vessel maintenance and repair, and supplies).
• Spending on shore-side staffing by the cruise lines (for cruise, land transportation and shore excursion activities).
• Spending by the cruise lines for port services.
• Spending on equipment and facilities purchased from Canadian businesses.