Cruise ships, along with their crew and passengers, make a significant annual contribution to the economy of Canada.
Cruise industry spending is increasing in all three of Canada's major coastal cruise regions – BC, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Those are among the findings of a new study detailing the economic impact of the cruise industry in Canada – including everything from spending by cruise lines home-porting and making port calls; to on-shore spending by passengers and crew members; to commissions paid to travel agents across the country.
The study, entitled The Economic Contribution of the International Cruise Industry in Canada 2016, was prepared by Business Research & Economic Advisors (BREA) for the Cruise Lines International Association-North West & Canada (CLIA-NWC), the St. Lawrence Cruise Association, the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association and Cruise BC. The study is based on data from 2016 with comparisons to 2012, the last time a comparable study was commissioned.
Total economic impact of USD 3.2 billion – including direct and indirect spending – increased 34% since 2012, attributed to gains in cruise line, passenger and crew spending, along with increases in business taxes such as those on food, fuel and retail items, and a favourable Canadian exchange rate. The 9% increase in passenger visits between 2012 and 2016 is about to be eclipsed by a 14% single-year growth forecast for 2017, ensuring further gains in cruise industry spending in the coming year.