CRUISE TOURISM PROVIDES BIG BUCKS

Posted on 10/09/2015

Cruise tourism in the Caribbean and Latin America has a three billion dollar impact on the local economy according to a new study. In the 2014-2015 cruise year 23.6 million passengers came ashore and tourism expenditures directly generated US $3.16 billion.
The Business Research & Economic Advisors (BREA) conducted the survey on behalf of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association. The numbers were collated from 35 destinations in the region that welcome cruise ships. The last such survey was in the 2011/2012 cruise year. The average expenditure per passenger has risen more than eight percent to $103.83 since then.

Cruise ship workers spent an average of a $67.10 per person, primarily on food, beverages, jewelry and electronics. They added $302 million to local economies. The average length of time spent ashore was 4.38 hours with passengers spending about 30 percent more on shore excursions than the 2011/2012 season. The study's findings were presented at the 22nd annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show in Cozumel, Mexico.