87 Photo: credit The 3,700 kilometres of lakes, rivers and channels in the Great lakes offers a variety of activities for cruise guests to take part in, such as kayaking in Duluth ports of Cleveland, Ohio, and Duluth, Minnesota, opened compliant Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) passenger clearance facilities in 2022. On Lake Michigan, the Ports of Milwaukee and Muskegon are building new docks for larger expedition-type cruise ships.” GLS is working with cruise lines to help develop their relationships with other federal agencies such as the CBP and the US Coast Guard. “When vessels transit the St. Lawrence Seaway, just west of Montreal to the mid-point of Lake Erie, they seamlessly cross the border between the USA and Canada 27 times,” says Yackley. “Our work to build the relationships between cruise lines and our federal partners to provide a complete understanding of expectations is crucial to create the most efficient process for passenger clearing at ports of entry.” The GLS, along with the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition (GLCC), is also making efforts to connect with the global cruise industry and further develop the reputation of the Great Lakes as a destination. Annually, the GLS and its stakeholders attend North America’s largest cruise conference and exhibits at Seatrade Cruise Global in Florida. It also attended Seatrade Europe for the first time in 2023, where discussions focused on the many benefits that the European cruise operators could receive from the itineraries visiting the Great Lakes. “During each trade show, communicating our message with the media has been a crucial component to raising awareness of the Great Lakes as a destination,” says Yackley. “We also retain a membership with the Cruise Lines International Association to extend our reach and amplify our message to our target audience of cruise line itinerary planners and port development specialists. The GLS has been working in cooperation with Great Lakes stakeholders, including the GLCC, Cruise the Great Lakes, Great Lakes Expedition Cruises, and Cruise the St. Lawrence to raise the international visibility of the region. Co-hosted events with our partners at trade shows serve to promote the region holistically.” “ Ports across the Great Lakes are improving and expanding their dock space and accommodation for cruise ships”
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