Port predicts growth in cruise for 2007

Vancouver, B.C. When the Mercury sets sail from Canada Place this Sunday, it will signal the end of the 2006 Vancouver-Alaska cruise season, which saw an estimated 858,500* passengers depart or arrive through the port on 253 vessel calls.

While the passenger total for 2006 represents a six per cent decrease over the previous year, the Port of Vancouver is projecting an increase of 100,000 passengers in 2007. The projected increase is due to the return of the Mercury to Vancouver from Seattle, for the entire Alaska cruise season, and the addition of the Pacific Princess to the Alaska fleet. The Norwegian Sun will also replace the Norwegian Wind, adding more capacity in the Vancouver-Alaska market.

"After several years of declining passenger volumes, we are delighted to be looking at growth in our cruise sector. Every time a Vancouver-based cruise ship sets sail from our harbour, it represents $2 million to the regional economy, so this is great news for our tourism industry," said Captain Gordon Houston, President and CEO of the Vancouver Port Authority.

Another highlight of the 2006 cruise season was the continued success of the US Direct program in which passengers are expedited through the customs and immigration process. The US Direct program has received tremendous support from Canadian and US government agencies, cruise line operators and other stakeholders. "This collaborative approach to providing innovative solutions for the cruise market is a major factor in enhancing Vancouver's competitive position," said Houston.

The Port of Vancouver continues to partner with other BC port cities, transforming Canada's Inside Passage into a new cruise itinerary marketed as Cruise BC. In 2006, Celebrity Cruise Lines' Mercury offered eight sailings in the fall to ports in BC, drawing on the success of this itinerary launched last year. The Mercury will be offering twelve BC destined cruises in the fall of 2007.

The 2006 cruise season also marked the first year of operation for Ceres, the port's new cruise terminal operator, providing vessel stevedoring and terminal management services for Canada Place and Ballantyne terminals. "Ceres delivered exceptional levels of service to our customers, demonstrating their commitment to developing Vancouver's cruise business," said Houston.

The Port of Vancouver is Canada's flagship port, trading $43 billion in goods with more than 90 trading economies annually. The cruise sector creates 13,500 jobs annually at the Port of Vancouver. Berlitz, the London based travel publisher, designated Vancouver as the most passenger-friendly cruise port in North America.

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* Note: The Vancouver Port Authority is establishing a new formula for calculating revenue passengers that includes disembarking, embarking and in-transit passengers counted once. A statistics backgrounder is available on request.



For more information, please contact:

Anne McMullin,
Director, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
Vancouver Port Authority
(604) 665-9069 (office)
(604) 665-9073 (fax)
(778) 231-6978 (cellular)
anne.mcmullin@portvancouver.com

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