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ICCL News Release Archives
CRUISE INDUSTRY SPENT $1 BILLION IN NEW YORK IN 2005
ARLINGTON, Va. (Aug. 31, 2006) -- The cruise industry spent more than $1 billion in New York in 2005, making the state third in the country in direct cruise industry spending. This spending supported 20,000 jobs, which paid $992 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).
New York is primarily a point of embarkation for seasonal cruises to Canada and Bermuda, and year-round cruises to the Caribbean. In 2005, the Manhattan Cruise Terminal had 370,000 passengers, just over 4 percent of total U.S. cruise passenger embarkations. The port was the seventh busiest cruise port in the United States in 2005 with a source market including Connecticut, New Jersey and part of Pennsylvania.
Empire State Development Chairman Charles A. Gargano said, "The cruise industry is an important part of New York State's economy as it supports thousands of jobs and generates income. Maritime activity has been a vital part of our State's history, and with the growth of the cruise industry and the State's planned revitalization of the waterfront areas, New York will remain a hub for many years to come, providing new jobs and increasing economic activity."
Empire State residents are avid cruise vacationers, with nearly 462,000 state residents taking a cruise in 2005 - 5 percent of the U.S. total.
"The cruise industry had a tremendous economic impact on New York City last year, as cruise-goers continued to recognize the wealth of pre- and post-cruise activities the City provides, but what we've seen is just the beginning," said Kate Ascher, Executive Vice President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. "With the recent opening of the state-of-the-art Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and a major upgrade to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, New York City is poised for growth. We look forward to the cruise industry making an even bigger contribution to our local economy in the years to come."
Tourism-related businesses such as travel agencies, airlines, hotels, restaurants and ground transportation providers received $250 million, approximately 25 percent of the $1 billion in direct expenditures in the state. Another $350 million was spent with food processors, textile and apparel manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, advertising agencies and financial services companies.
The remaining 42 percent of direct expenditures in New York impacted other business sectors in the state including law firms, business service providers such as computer services, software consulting and marketing; manufacturers of fabricated metal products such as locks and security equipment, petroleum refiners, and performing arts and amusement establishments.
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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