Economic & Social Impact
The cruise industry is a vital artery for local and national economies around the world, generating billions of dollars in economic output and supporting millions of jobs spanning a wide variety of sectors, including hospitality, aviation, agriculture, retail, entertainment, manufacturing, information services, health care and, of course, tourism
Beyond the Financial Impact
Aside from the economic influence, the industry fosters cultural exchange, infrastructure development, and community engagement, benefiting both local and global communities.
Total Impact
$168.6 billion USD
Total economic impact of cruise tourism
Jobs
1.6 million
Jobs created by the cruise industry
Wages
$50 billion USD
Total amount of wages from the 1.6 million jobs
Present & Future Value of Cruise Tourism
Contributions to the economic well-being of host communities
Our members pursue commercial opportunities for local businesses, and, where feasible, provision ships locally and sustainably at ports of embarkation and ports of call.
- The cruise industry’s direct economic impact globally is assessed through four main expenditure channels
- Cruise line purchases at local destinations
- Ship and capacity building expenditure at shipyards
- Cruise line staff wages (measured as spending of crew wages in country of residence)
- Passenger spending at ports
Expenditure through each of these channels supports economic activity and employment throughout the world, to a greater or lesser degree depending on the amount of spend. The figure and commentary below summarize the spending performance of these four channels in 2023.
Spend Intensity
$96 USD
Average amount each cruise traveler spends per port they visit based on a typical 7-day cruise
54%
Percentage higher cruise travelers spend in an hour compared to day visitors to some destinations
14%
Cruise travelers direct visitor spending in the food and beverage, retail, arts, entertainment, and recreation sectors
Higher Spending, Local Impact
Cruise travelers spend more per visit than other tourists, with a higher share going to food, beverage, retail, arts, and entertainment. In some destinations, their hourly spending is 29% higher than overnight visitors and 54% more than day-trip tourists. Since cruise guests don’t pay for airfare or hotels, a larger portion of their budget supports local businesses, making up 14% of direct visitor spending in key sectors.
Pre-Cruise and Post-Cruise Stays
Cruise travelers are extending their vacations and staying in port communities before and after their cruises
Percentage
70%
Cruise travelers that stay at least one night before or after the cruise
Percentage
15%
Cruise travelers that stayed one night pre-cruise AND one-night post-cruise
Percentage
9%
Cruise travelers that stayed three or more nights pre-cruise and three or more nights post-cruise
Return Visits
On average, 60% of cruise travelers who first visited a destination by cruise, later return to that destination for another holiday.
Percentage
44%
Cruise travelers that returned on another cruise
Percentage
36%
Cruise travelers that returned for a land-based holiday
Percentage
19%
Cruise travelers that returned for a cruise and land-based holiday