WASHINGTON, DC — New data released by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) show that the North American cruise industry continued to expand in 2013, generating employment, income and other economic benefits throughout the U.S. economy.

“Taking a cruise is hands down one of the best vacation values available today for consumers,” said Christine Duffy, CLIA President and CEO. “This study shows the cruise industry is also an important economic contributor, supporting businesses and jobs across North America, from travel agents who help their clients select from a diverse array of exciting cruise choices, to the businesses in every state that provide products and services to cruise lines.”

Duffy noted that on a global basis, over the 10 years from 2003 to 2013, demand for cruising worldwide has increased 77%, from 12 million to 21.3 million passengers. Globally, cruise industry expenditures generated $117 billion in total output, requiring 891,009 full-time equivalent employees who earned $38.47 billion in income.

The independent report commissioned by CLIA from Business Research and Economic Advisers (BREA), The Contribution of the North American Cruise Industry to the U.S. Economy in 2013, found that:

Total contributions of the cruise industry to the U.S. economy in 2013 reached a record $44.1 billion.

The cruise industry supported 363,133 U.S. jobs, in every state, paying wages of $18.3 billion.

Nearly 10 million cruise passengers embarked at U.S. ports, representing 57% of the North American cruise industry’s global embarkations.

U.S.-based direct spending by cruise lines, passengers, and crew totaled $20.1 billion, nearly double expenditures made in 2000.

The top 10 U.S. cruise ports accounted for 86% of embarkations. Florida remains the centre of cruising in the United States, with its five cruise ports accounting for nearly 62% of all U.S. embarkations in 2013. California, Texas and New York each had more than 600,000 embarkations.