Latest Travel News:

CLIA Reports Cruise Industry Contributes $40.4 Billion to U.S. Economy
September 7, 2012

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reported that the North American cruise industry further expanded its contribution to the U.S. economy in 2011, according to an independent study commissioned by the group.

Direct purchases by CLIA’s 26 member lines and their passengers and crew totaled approximately $19 billion resulting in $40.4 billion in total economic impact. The related cruise industry spending generated nearly 350,000 jobs paying $16.5 billion in wages to American workers.

CLIA said after a strong rebound in 2010 from the recession in 2009, the North American cruise industry continued to expand in 2011 at a pace that matched the growth for key operating metrics the previous year.

That allowed the industry to reach new highs for capacity and the number of passengers sailing on CLIA member cruise lines, with the North American cruise industry outpacing the growth of overall economic activity in the U.S.

America continued to be the economic driver for the industry, providing nearly two-thirds of all global passengers and 60 percent of all cruise embarkations.

“In this uncertain economic environment, we are pleased to demonstrate the importance of the North American cruise industry to the U.S. economy in creating jobs and positively impacting the residents of all 50 states through direct and indirect spending,” said Christine Duffy, CLIA’s president and CEO.

“These findings are further evidence that the industry’s ability to provide outstanding choice and value that resonate strongly with consumers work in beneficial ways for the country’s economy as well.”

CLIA’s report, “The Contribution of the North American Cruise Industry to the U.S. Economy in 2011,” was prepared by Business Research & Economic Advisors (BREA) of Exton, Pa.

Key findings include: the total economic impact of cruising on the U.S. economy grew by 6.8 percent to $40.42 billion in 2011, with direct spending by the cruise industry growing by 4.8 percent to $18.9 billion; total employment grew by 5.4 percent to 347,787 and wages and salaries jumped by 8.3 percent in 2011.

Source :- http://www.travelpulse.com/