Worldwide CLIA study shows 21. 3 million cruised last year
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Around 21.3 million passengers from across the globe took a cruise in 2013, marking a 77% rise from the 12 million guests recorded in 2004, according to a worldwide report from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
Commissioned by CLIA and carried out by the Business Research and Economic Advisers, The Global Economic Contribution of Cruise Tourism 2013 is the first independent report to assess the worldwide economic impact of the cruise industry. According to the study, the cruise industry generated US$117 billion in total economic contributions and supported 891,009 full-time equivalent employees with total wages of US$38.47 billion in 2013.
In total, the cruise industry generated nearly 115 million passenger and crew visit days at ports around the globe, with passengers and crew spending an average of US$126.93 each port day. The average length of a cruise was seven days and included three to four port calls.
“The cruise industry is truly global, bringing together a diverse mix of international passengers and crew to experience exciting itineraries, multiple destinations and exceptional holiday vacation value on every continent,” said Christine Duffy, CLIA president and CEO. “With so many fun options and a high return on vacation experience, it’s not surprising that the popularity of cruise holidays continues to grow. This study shows that the cruise industry’s growth is also generating increased jobs, income and revenue in all regions of the world.”
While 11.82 million (55%) of the global passengers were sourced from North America, including 10.92 million that reside in the US, Europeans formed around 30% of last year’s total passenger count. Around 1.73 million of the total 6.3 million Europeans that took a cruise in 2013 were from the UK and Ireland, while 1.69 million were from Germany. In addition, 833,000 Australians, 732,000 Brazilians and 727,000 people from China took a cruise last year.
“The figures published today show that nearly 45% of the industry’s 2013 global output was generated in Europe,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, chairman of CLIA Europe and executive chairman of MSC Cruises. “Unquestionably, the cruise industry today is a key contributor to Europe’s economic recovery, creating real jobs and growth at a time when both are hard to come by. With more Europeans choosing to cruise, more tourists cruising in European waters and more cruise ships being built in European ship yards, the weight of our industry in Europe can only continue to increase in years to come.”