Cruise numbers grow 77% in decade
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The number of cruise passenger numbers has increased 77% in the last decade reaching 21.3 million last year, according to new statistics.
Figures released by CLIA have shown that global spend on cruising surpassed US$52 billion in 2013 generating US$117 billion in total economic contributions.
While tourists from North America still make up the most cruise passengers with 10.92 million, demand in Europe has risen the most by 136%. Markets outside Europe and North America have also increased by 186%.
The UK is the second largest cruise market by passenger numbers at 1.73 million, followed by Germany at 1.69m and Italy at 870,000.
In terms of destinations visited, capacity in Northern Europe is up 209% and 161% in the Mediterranean in the last 10 years.
“The figures published today show that nearly 45% of the industry’s 2013 global output was generated in Europe,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, chairman of CLIA Europe and executive chairman of MSC Cruises. “Unquestionably, the cruise industry today is a key contributor to Europe’s economic recovery, creating real jobs and growth at a time when both are hard to come by. With more Europeans choosing to cruise, more tourists cruising in European waters and more cruise ships being built in European ship yards, the weight of our industry in Europe can only continue to increase in years to come.”
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