Gabe, McConnon speak with WABI about Bar Harbor cruise ship season
University of Maine economics professors Todd Gabe and Jim McConnon spoke with WABI (Channel 5) at a recent meeting of the Bar Harbor Cruise Ship Committee that was held to discuss the effect of cruise ships on local merchants. More than 120 ships and nearly 160,000 passengers are already booked for Bar Harbor’s 2016 season, according to the report. The committee is requesting a new economic study from UMaine to look at the demographics and spending habits of passengers, which will be the first of its kind in 14 years, the report states. “Since 2002, the number of ships visiting Bar Harbor has really increased. About 60 or so ships in 2002, and that number has almost doubled,” said Gabe, who conducted the previous study. The research has shown the ships tend to bring in tourists who are wealthier and from further away, WABI reported. “The cruise ship passenger is different, and one of the things that we’re able to get are these demographics directly from these passengers, not only in terms of who they are and where they came from, but why they’re here and what they’re interested in spending their money on,” McConnon said.