Well shoot, the Halifax numbers went up this year over last! And here I was hoping that Saint John's 187680 estimated passenger total might finally pass Halifax's. Oh well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith P.
Cruise visits don't add a whole lot to the economy though. Passengers generally take a bus tour to Peggy's or walk the boardwalk and pick up a few souvenirs, then they're gone. Since most cruises are all inclusive, restaurants and bars don't benefit very much, and hotels, not at all.
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True, but they are useful in many ways. For one thing, they give a great deal of exposure to a city, because if the passengers enjoyed their short visit, they are more likely to return on vacation another time, or tell family and friends about the good time they had in X city. And it is those secondary trips which will support the traditional side of the hospitality industry.
Also, they do give a boost of revenue to small businesses and historic sites. For example, back in university I worked a Summer job at the Saint John Jewish Historical Museum, and I guarantee that the Museum would probably have closed by now if it wasn't for the throngs of cruise ship passengers visiting every week. We would make more on donations during 1 hour on a cruise ship day than the other 3 or 4 days of the week combined.