COZUMEL,
Mexico - Today Business
Research & Economic Advisors (BREA) launched its analysis of
spending related to cruise tourism and its impact on destinations'
economies. The triennial study engaged by the FCCA included a record 35
participating destinations throughout the Caribbean, Mexico and Central
and South America.
It found that cruise tourism generated
$3.16 billion in direct expenditures, 75,050 jobs and $976 million in
employee wages among participating destinations during the 2014/2015
cruise year and the 23.6 million passengers disembarking ships and
visiting the destinations.
The main driver-average expenditure
per passenger-increased to $103.83, 8.25 percent higher than the
2011/2012 cruise year and accounting for $2.45 billion. Contributing to
this increase were passengers spending 30 percent more per passenger on
shore excursions, 20 percent more per passenger for local crafts and
souvenirs and two percent more for food and beverages, along with a
higher percentage of passengers making purchases in each of these
categories. In fact, more than half of all transit passengers that went
ashore purchased a shore excursion and food and beverages.
Just over 75 percent of passenger
expenditures were made in four categories: watches and jewelry ($877
million), shore excursions ($551 million), clothing ($238 million), and
food and beverages ($189 million). Shore excursions was the most popular
category, with over half (53 percent) of all passengers purchasing this
and local tour operators receiving an average of $43.99 per passenger
directly from cruise passengers and cruise lines.
The estimated 4.5 million crewmembers
visiting the 35 participating destinations spent approximately $302
million for goods and services, with an average per crew expenditure of
$67.10, heavily weighted toward food and beverages, jewelry, and
electronics.
In addition to net payments to local
tour operators, cruise lines also provided data for payments to ports
for passenger taxes and port services, as well as payments to local
businesses for supplies and services. These categories accounted for an
estimated $400.8 million.
Other key findings from the study
include that 63 percent of passengers made their first visit at the
destination; 93.7 percent went ashore; 65 percent made onshore
purchases; and passengers spent an average 4.38 hours ashore. Plus visit
satisfactions surveys found that cruise passengers were very satisfied
with their overall destination visit; shore excursions received the
highest score of all visit attributes; and passenger interactions with
residents and store employees were very positive.
The study was released at the 22nd
annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show in Cozumel, Mexico.
Cozumel itself participated in the study and ranked third in overall
expenditures with $365 million. St. Maarten led all destinations with
nearly $423 million (while ranking third in passenger and crew onshore
visits, it had the highest average total expenditure per visit of $189),
followed by the Bahamas with $373 million.
The FCCA engages this study as one of
many ways it works with destinations to foster understanding of cruise
tourism, its benefits and how to best actualize its potential. The
study's release during the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show
further adds to the event's focus on maximizing this potential through a
series of meetings, workshops and networking opportunities between
destination stakeholders and cruise executives to offer insight and
develop business and relationships.
About the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association
Created
in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that provides a
forum for discussion on tourism development, ports, safety, security,
and other cruise industry issue and builds bilateral relationships with
destinations' private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding
of the cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with
governments, ports and private sector representatives to maximize cruise
passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance the
destination experience and increase the amount of cruise passengers
returning as stay-over visitors.