A survey indicates the cruise ship industry is an important source of return visitors to Maine.
The survey found that cruise ship passengers don’t make a huge economic impact during their brief visits ashore but that one in three plan to return in the near future.
[Bucksport wants to become a foreign cruise ship destination]
The Portland Press Herald reports that the Maine Office of Tourism commissioned the survey to get a reading of passengers’ experiences, perceptions and spending.
A Portland-based tourism research group talked to more than 2,500 passengers and crew across nine ports between July and November 2018. CruiseMaine Director Sarah Flink said it was important to have a “baseline understanding of the demographics.”
[This once low-key fishing city could become Maine’s next big cruise ship destination]
About 400,000 cruise visitors sailed on ships to Maine, spending $29 million. Passengers spent about $70 on average during their visits ashore.