British Columbia’s cruise season got off to an early start on Monday, with the arrival of the Disney Wonder.
The vessel, which pulled into Canada Place just before 7 a.m. is the first of 239 cruise ships scheduled to arrive between now and the end of October.
The industry is expecting 2024 to be a record-breaking season, delivering more than 1.27 million passengers through the Vancouver terminal.
The Port of Vancouver estimates each ship injects about $3 million into the local economy.
“We see lots of pre- and post-stays which is what contributes to that as well, staying in the hotels around Vancouver, exploring the city as well,” said Vancouver Fraser Port Authority cruise services manager Mandy Chan.
Barry Pener, legal adviser for the Cruise Lines International Association, said the industry has shaken off its COVID-era woes, and predicted this year will be one of growth.
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“I think it will show the economic benefit to British Columbia was greater than it was in 2019, and back then it was over 17,000 jobs supported by the cruise industry across the province and about $2.6 billion to $2.7 billion to the provincial economy through the course of a cruise season,” he said.
Monday’s early arrival will serve as something of a trial run for the season, with Canada Place not scheduled to receive another cruise ship until early April.
The season will wrap Oct. 29.
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