About 550,000 passengers and 212,000 crew from 224 ships pulled into Ogden Point during the 2016 cruise ship season, according to figures released Thursday by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.
“We are incredibly proud to have welcomed these visitors to Victoria throughout our 2016 season,” Ian Robertson, chief executive of the GVHA, said in a statement. “We’re anticipating an increase in ship calls for 2017, mostly as a result of repositioning cruises during the shoulder season.
“With these types of voyages, cruise lines may select any Canadian West Coast port of call, and the fact that they are choosing Victoria signals to our team and our member agencies that we are a preferred destination for cruise lines and their guests.”
The GVHA expects the number of ships to increase in 2017 to more than 240, which Robertson said is a reflection of the growing popularity of Victoria as a destination, and of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska routes for cruise passengers.
The 2016 season kicked off April 3 and wrapped up Oct. 17. The harbour authority estimates annual economic impact of cruise ships for Victoria is more than $100 million; each cruise ship call brings in an average of $400,000 in direct spending to the region.
