Port Of Vancouver Forecasting Record Year
The Port of Vancouver is forecasting a record 2023 cruise season with a total of 331 cruise ship visits scheduled for the Canada Place cruise terminal between April 12 and Oct. 24 — an increase of approximately 8% compared to 2022.
Mandy Chan, manager of cruise services at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, said: “Vancouver continues to be one of the world’s top cruise destinations and an award-winning homeport.”
Chan continued: “After a two-year pause and an incredible restart in 2022, we are now gearing up for another big season for the Vancouver cruise sector as well as the local hospitality and tourism industries it supports.”
A record 1.2 to 1.3 million passengers could travel through the Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver in 2023 — an increase of about 10% over the record set in 2019 of 1.1 million.
The port authority continues to focus on enhancing the passenger experience and this year will become the first homeport cruise terminal in Canada to offer pet relief stations for service animals. Created as part of a larger plan to improve the terminal’s overall accessibility, these stations offer a welcoming area for service animals during their visit to the Port of Vancouver’s cruise terminal.
Said Chan: “As we prepare for another big season, I want to acknowledge the hard work of everyone who made Vancouver’s return to cruise such a success last year as well as recognize the planning and preparation that has gone into this year.”
And Chan noted that: “The Port of Vancouver’s cruise comeback story is a testament to the exceptional work and dedication that industry has led to adapt and renew the sector. I’d like to thank our cruise lines partners, the Canada Place cruise terminal services provider Ceres Terminals Canada, the Cruise Lines International Association, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and everyone working throughout the cruise and tourism industries for their part in the safe and successful return of a treasured industry.”
Vancouver has been a homeport for Alaska cruises for more than 30 years, acting as the home base for one-way and round-trip cruises through the Inside Passage. As a homeport destination, the Vancouver cruise industry injects an average of almost $3 million into the local economy for each ship that visits Canada Place, generates nearly 7,000 jobs across Canada, $300 million in wages and contributes $840 million to national GDP.
Sail on over to www.portvancouver.com for more.
