CRUISE LINES SPENT $31 MILLION IN MAINE IN 2003

AND SUPPORTED NEARLY MORE THAN 550 JOBS

Contact: Amy Powers, Director CruiseMaine at (207) 310-0998 or Christine Fischer, ICCL at (703) 522-8463

ARLINGTON, Va. (Aug. 24, 2004) — Cruise lines and their passengers and crew spent nearly $31 million on direct purchases in Maine, supporting 571 jobs that paid $16 million in income in 2003, according to an annual study by Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA). The study was commissioned by the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL).

Cruise ship calls at eight of Maine's ports and harbors fueled the economic impact of the industry in the state. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), in 2003, 132,340 passengers visited a Maine port on a cruise ship call, representing a 9 percent increase in passenger volume over 2002. Businesses primarily impacted by cruise line and passenger spending were in the transportation sector, wholesale and retail trade, administrative and waste-management services and manufacturing.

“The ports and harbors of Maine are becoming an increasingly important economic generator for the state's tourism industry,” said Amy Powers, Director, CruiseMaine Coalition. “As our cruise business continues to grow, the local economic benefits in jobs and direct spending will increase accordingly.”

New England proved to be a productive region for cruise passengers as well, contributing 537,839 passengers, or 7 percent, of the nearly 7.5 million North American cruise passengers in 2003.

The 571 Maine jobs supported by the cruise industry in 2003 generated $16 million in wages at an average salary of $28,300. Those jobs were mostly in the service and transportation sectors, as well as wholesale and retail trade.

According to BREA's analysis, the North American cruise industry positively impacts every state's economy.

Nationally, the cruise industry generated a total U.S. economic impact of $25.4 billion and over 295,000 jobs in 2003. An estimated 7.1 million cruise embarkations were handled by U.S. ports during 2003, accounting for 72 percent of global embarkations and representing a 9.4 percent increase over 2002.

“The cruise industry's contribution to the U.S. economy has risen, on average, 12 percent each year for the past three years,” said ICCL President J. Michael Crye. “And that impact is felt in virtually every economic sector, from agriculture to durable goods, transportation, employment and taxes.”

The complete study can be found on the ICCL Web site at www.iccl.org.

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