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ICCL News Release Archives
CRUISE INDUSTRY INCREASED SPENDING IN TEXAS TO $934 MILLION IN 2005
ARLINGTON, Va. (Aug. 31, 2006) -- The cruise industry increased its direct spending in Texas during 2005 to $934 million, an increase of 32 percent over the previous year. This spending supported 15,800 jobs that paid $713 million in wages and salaries, according to an annual economic impact study by Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA). The study was commissioned by the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL).
The state's principal cruise ports in Galveston and Houston are among the fastest-growing cruise ports in the country and primarily serve western Caribbean itineraries. In 2005, cruise embarkations for the Texas ports totaled 630,000 -- 21 percent higher than in 2004. Galveston handled 531,000 cruise passengers in 2005, ranking it the fifth busiest cruise port in the United States -- up one slot from last year. Houston's numbers increased 19 percent in 2005 for a total of 99,000 embarkations. More than 650,000 Texans took cruises in 2005 and accounted for 7.2 percent of U.S. resident cruise passengers.
"The cruise industry has had a growing positive economic impact in the state of Texas and this will continue to expand," said Wade Battles, Managing Director of the Port of Houston Authority. "Here in Houston, we are investing in new cruise terminals that will further attract the largest and most modern vessels to homeports right here in Texas - creating even more local jobs and statewide economic impact."
Of the $934 million in direct industry spending, tourism-related businesses such as travel agencies, airlines, hotels, restaurants and ground transportation providers received more than $430 million, approximately 46 percent of the industry's direct expenditures in the Lone Star State. Another $250 million was spent with businesses including petroleum refiners, advertising agencies, insurance carriers, employment agencies and management and technical consulting companies. Additional businesses that benefited from cruise industry spending included food processors, wholesalers, apparel manufacturers, software publishers, and companies that manufacture and distribute communication and navigation equipment.
Nationwide, the North American cruise industry generated a total of $32.4 billion into the U.S. economy in 2005, an increase of nearly 8 percent over 2004. The BREA study also found that the cruise industry supported more than 330,000 U.S. jobs and paid $13.5 billion in wages and salaries in 2005.
The complete economic study can be found on the ICCL Web site at www.iccl.org.
NEWS DIRECTORS/ASSIGNMENT EDITORS NOTE: Broadcast-quality Beta-SP B-roll video is available upon request. Contact Buck Banks or Julie Ellis at 305-461-3300, buck@newmanpr.com or julie@newmanpr.com.
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