By
Alice Chambers |
Atlantic Canada has welcomed 474 cruise ships and 622,811 passengers throughout 2022, according to Atlantic Canada Cruise Association, which marks the region as having marked a strong return to cruise numbers.
Over 575,000 passengers visited the region’s most popular destinations of Charlottetown, Corner Brook, Halifax, Saint John and Sydney over the year. A further 23,000 passengers were welcomed at niche ports in Atlantic Canada such as Baddeck, Pictou and St. Andrews, representing a 24 per cent increase in passengers visiting niche ports since 2019.
The association predicted that the region would have received more cruise passengers had it not been hit by Hurricane Fiona in September, which mostly impacted travel to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and Sydney.
“Despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Fiona, 2022 was a strong cruise ship season in Atlantic Canada,” said Mike Cochrane, chair of Atlantic Canada Cruise Association. “More and more, visitors around the world are appreciating the culture, heritage and wide-open spaces found in Atlantic Canada. We saw more opportunity for sustainable growth and the economic impact it will bring to our communities.”
The association is expecting to welcome more passengers in 2023 with hundreds of cruise ships scheduled to visit across the year.
“Atlantic Canada was making strong progress as a cruise ship destination before the pandemic shut the industry down,” said Sarah Rumley, executive director at Atlantic Canada Cruise Association. “Our focus now is regaining that momentum and working with our community partners to build a sustainable industry that delivers real economic benefit to the region as cruise guests get a chance to experience the enviable quality of life we enjoy here.”