by Katie Daly, Girl Economics Reporter
In this piece, I will be looking at the effects and rebound of the cruising industry, and the economic impacts it has had on a global level. I used the piece “Cruise Tourism Economic Impact” by Tourism Economics, and suggest it for further reading to look at individual areas and how they are affected by cruises.
The cruising industry was heavily hit by the COVID pandemic and its restrictions, due to the proximity within the ships of passengers and crew. However, in the last approximately 24 months, the industry has made a remarkable comeback, and is now a vibrant and rapidly expanding segment of global tourism. As reported by the Cruise Line International Association, (CLIA), in 2022, the cruising industry contributed $138 billion in total economic output and 1.2 million jobs globally. This highlights the importance of the cruising industry, both on the tourism sector of economies and economies overall.
As travel has become more accessible and easier to plan, the demand for it has increased rapidly over the past few decades. Many specific industries of the tourism sector has experienced this, including the cruising sector, which has seen significant increases in demand and footfall due to the ease of the logistics. However, as the COVID pandemic hit, many cruises were infected due to the containment and densely packed ship population, and such the sector, as did many others, came to a sudden halt.
In 2021, the cruise sector began to reopen back up, and passengers began to board again. Due to this, cruises began to contribute on an economic scale again, with their multifaceted contributions, such as port services, local economies hospitality, employment on the ship, and transportation. This has been shown by the figures mentioned above in 2022, which shows the strong comeback of the cruising industry, as well as the key role it plays in providing employment opportunities on a global scale.
Will cruises continue to increase in popularity? It appears to be, with The Royal Caribbean recently offering a 274-night cruise, which crosses 7 continents. This Ultimate World Cruise has gained significant attention on social media, with many influencers spending time on board, which suggests that the cruise industry is attempting to tap into a different market from its usual stereotypical clientele. This could signify the start of a cruise boom, with travel demand on the rise, cruises could welcome a lot of those consumers and their demand.
The cruise industry’s resurgence is a testament to its vital role in the global economy, and with a focus on broadening its market appeal and innovative ideas, the cruise industry is set to encounter an exciting future, continuing to contribute significantly to global tourism and economic performance.
Learn More; https://www.tourismeconomics.com/press/latest-research/cruise-tourism-economic-impact
