|
ICCL News Release Archives
CRUISE INDUSTRY SPENT $762 MILLION IN ALASKA IN 2004
(ARLINGTON, Va.) Sept. 1, 2005 -- The cruise industry spent $762 million in the state of Alaska in 2004, supporting nearly 17,000 jobs which paid $566 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).
Alaska is unique among U.S. states with cruise operations. Due to its far-north geographical location, the state is a seasonal destination from late May through mid-September. Alaska is the busiest cruise destination market in the United States, and received more than 2.8 million cruise passenger visits - two-thirds of all port-of-call visits at U.S. ports in 2004. Alaska's homeporting operations generated 160,000 passenger embarkations on turnaround cruises between Alaska ports and Vancouver, Canada.
"The visitor industry is an important part of Alaska's economy," said Gov. Frank H. Murkowski. "Alaska has much to offer the visitor, natural beauty, cultural diversity and incredible recreational opportunities. The cruise industry allows visitors to experience Alaska - and thus contributes to the state's economy."
Cruise lines maintain significant tour operations in Alaska, and employed more than 1,500 full- and part-time employees during 2004. During the peak cruise season, lines employed more than 2,500 workers and averaged about 1,000 full-time equivalent employees. With a total wage impact of $566 million, the average wage generated by cruise operations was $33,400 in 2004.
Alaska ranked fourth in the United States, after Florida, California and New York, at $762 million in direct cruise industry spending. Tourism-related businesses such as tour operators, airlines, hotels, restaurants and ground transportation providers received approximately $650 million, slightly more than 85 percent of the industry's direct expenditures in Alaska. Another $40 million was spent with food processors, construction firms, employment agencies, trucking companies and utilities.
Nationwide, the North American cruise industry had a total impact of more than $30 billion on the U.S. economy in 2004, an increase of more than 18 percent over 2003. The BREA study also found that the cruise industry supported nearly 316,000 U.S. jobs and paid a total of more than $12.4 billion in wages and salaries in 2004.
The complete economic study can be found on the ICCL Web site at www.iccl.org.
|
