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August 6, 2013

Report: Cruise ship spending flat in 2012

Direct spending by cruise ship companies in Maine was flat from 2011 to 2012, but total wages paid by the cruise ship industry to Maine workers increased by around $2 million, according to a tally by an industry trade group.

A report released last week by Cruise Lines International Association estimated that direct spending from cruise ships visiting Maine totaled around $45 million, a level even with 2011.

Employment from the cruise industry also held steady, increasing by just six jobs from the 795 jobs the CLIA said were supported by cruise ship traffic in 2011. The report found 801 Maine residents received over $27 million in wage income from the cruise industry in 2012, an increase of $2 million from the wage total of 2011.

The latest numbers are marginal increases compared with a surge in cruise ship spending recorded from 2010 to 2011, when spending increased $9 million and employment jumped by around 100.

This year, Bar Harbor is scheduled to see a record number of cruise ship visits and Portland expects to see higher volumes of passenger traffic as a result of larger ships visiting the city.

Nationally, the report estimates the cruise industry generated $42.3 billion in economic activity in 2012, a 4.6% increase over the national total for 2011.

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