UMaine Report Examines Economic Impact of Cruise Ships in Maine
Contact: Todd Gabe (207) 581-3307; Amy Powers (Cruise Maine) (207) 310-0998: David Munson (207) 581-3777
ORONO, Maine — A study conducted by researchers from the UMaine Department of Resource Economics and Policy and Center for Tourism Research and Outreach (CenTRO) shows that cruise ships visiting just two key ports along the coast injected more than $20 million in sales to the Maine economy.
The report, which is posted on the CenTRO website (www.umaine.edu/centro), revealed a total economic impact in 2005 of $13.7 million in Bar Harbor and $6.7 million in Portland with regard to overall sales, and supported a total of 270 full- and part-time jobs in the two ports. The economic activity generated by visiting cruise ships provided an estimated $5.5 million in labor income.
According to the report, both Portland and Bar Harbor have seen substantial increases in the number of cruise ships visits in recent years, extending the tourism season for local retailers and contributing to the overall economy.
The study, which began in January of this year, is an update to a cruise industry impact study conducted by UMaine researchers in 2002. “Upon the request of Cruise Maine, we were able to update previous work done regarding the cruise ship industry in Maine,” said Todd Gabe, an Associate Professor in the Department of Resource Economics and Policy. “In the past few years, we have also studied the cruise industry as a way to encourage passengers to return to the state as part of a longer land-based vacation.”
“We are happy that the newly-formed center can provide useful economic information to the people of Maine,” said Thomas Allen, a research associate for CenTRO. “We hope to work with port communities in Maine to support the development of the cruise ship industry, and provide benefits to local business and workers.”