Cruise Tourism Economic Impact

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), in partnership with Tourism Economics, has released a suite of Cruise Economic Impact Studies—the first since 2019.

The cruise industry is a significant and rapidly growing segment of world tourism. Its swift, impressive rebound contributed to $138B in total economic output and 1.2 million jobs globally in 2022, as detailed in reports commissioned by CLIA and produced by Tourism Economics.

In recent decades, overall travel demand has increased across the globe due to rising standards of living, changes in consumer behavior and improved access to transport, among other factors. This growth has benefitted many tourism sectors, including the cruise industry. 

Notably, 2021 was a year of rebirth for cruises as pandemic restrictions were lifted and operations accelerated. Deployment jumped in early 2022 and by year's end, the total capacity deployed in terms of Available Passenger Cruise Days (APCD) clocked in just below 2019 levels.

Explore the global study, plus U.S., Canada, and Europe: 

• Global Report
• USA Report 
• Canada Report
• Europe Report

Key findings highlight that although the pandemic suppressed passenger volumes, the cruise industry's global activities in 2022 yielded significant economic benefits, supporting $137.6 billion in economic output, $68.9 billion in GDP, 1.2 million total jobs and $42.8 billion in wages. 

Learn more about our ongoing work to provide detailed, high-frequency insights on deployment, passenger volume, and pricing across 3,000 ports and destinations.