Cruise ships brought $159 million to Maryland’s economy last year, according to a new study, but state officials hope that contribution is just the tip of the iceberg.
The economic impact includes $77 million for business services and government, $33 million for transportation, and $25 million for manufacturing, according to an annual study by the Cruise Lines International Association.
The association’s formula is broad, counting as economic impact any contribution by a Maryland-based business to any cruise departing the U.S., said Richard Scher, spokesman for the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. He said it also counts the impact of a Maryland resident leaving on a cruise from any U.S. port, not just the 27 cruises which departed Baltimore last year.
Scher said the state estimates impact solely from the cruises leaving Baltimore at about $63 million a year. That number should increase with recent announcements by Carnival and Celebrity cruise lines to offer additional departures, which will drive the number of cruises leaving Baltimore to 60 in 2009 and 80 in 2010.
“We expect the economic impact to significantly increase beginning next year,” Scher said.
According to the CLIA report, the $159 million in direct spending generated 2,177 jobs and represented 0.8 percent of the industry’s direct spending. That ranked Maryland 21st in the nation; Florida ranked first, followed by California.
Nationwide, cruise line and passenger spending totaled $38 billion last year, a 6.4 percent increase over 2006.
“The cruise industry continues to make an impressive contribution to the economic well-being of the country, and Maryland plays a significant role as one of the leading beneficiaries of industry spending and job creation,” association President and Chief Executive Officer Terry Dale said in a statement.
The state’s Department of Tourism also anticipated a big boost from the new cruises, which would bring the total of number of departures back to where it was several years ago, said department spokeswoman Camila Clark.
“We’re excited about it; it’s a positive thing for the state,” Clark said. “People tend to come a day early, stay a day later, so the impact for Baltimore and the hotels is big. It’s a win-win situation.”
