British Columbia’s Port of Vancouver has said that it’s poised to have its busiest cruise season ever.
The seaport announced March 8 that based on early estimates, it anticipates a record year for cruise passenger visits to the Canada Place cruise terminal in Vancouver.
The cruise terminal expects to have 329 cruise ship visits scheduled between now and Oct. 29, bringing in a potential 1.27 million passengers, about 2% more than 2023, which also was a record year, the port said.
“We expect 2024 to be another strong season for the award-winning Canada Place cruise terminal, as we solidify Vancouver as a premier homeport servicing the popular Alaska market,” the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority spokesperson Mandy Chan said. “Cruise is an important part of Vancouver’s vibrant tourism sector that supports countless local hospitality and tourism businesses and jobs.”
The cruise industry in Vancouver is a major revenue generator, contributing $840 million to Canada’s GDP. The industry pumps an average of nearly $3 million into the region with every ship visit and supports close to 7,000 jobs nationally and $300 million in wages, according to the port.
