Bosses at a Dorset port have said the cancellation of a cruise ship has cost the local economy approximately £400,000.
Portland Port expected to see the arrival Princess Cruise lines’ Regal Princess with more than 3,600 passengers over the weekend. The Port is still in the process of establishing the full facts behind the cancellation.
Bosses calculated the £400,000 figure using industry statistics based on spend per head by passengers as well as spend by crew and additional revenues for local transport operators and other suppliers.
Bill Reeves, chief executive of Portland Port, said: “Cruise calls to Portland Port contribute £10m to the local economy every year. The visit by the Regal Princess alone would have generated approximately £400,000 for local businesses.
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“This includes spending in shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, tourist attractions, for guides and taxis as well as for those in the supply chain such as bus and coach operators and through indirect spend. The port has also lost berthing fees but this is significantly outweighed by the overall cost to the local economy."
The cancellation came on the same day, July 8, as protests on Portland about the forthcoming arrival of an accommodation vessel for asylum seekers.
Portland Port is due to welcome a record number of passengers on cruise calls this year, including ships using its new £26m deepwater berth which allows larger vessels to berth.
Mr Reeves continued: “Cruise calls not only create and support local jobs and the economy, they generate significant exposure for the area and help to encourage return visits.
“A great deal of time and effort has been taken to build up our cruise business to diversify revenues at the port and support the local economy, of which we are proud to be a part. The importance of this cruise business cannot be underestimated."
Earlier this year, the port held trade group Cruise Britain’s summer event in Weymouth and Portland, bring influential industry figures to the area. Portland Port employs 53 people and has a number of tenants, including cargo businesses, which provide jobs for more than 250 people.
Mr Reeves added: “All other cruise calls are continuing as planned over the remainder of the season. Indeed, we were able to accommodate the Norwegian Dawn on Monday after she requested to arrive early due to bad weather elsewhere.
“She had 2,360 guests on board, around half of which went into Weymouth on Monday evening, spending money in restaurants, cafes, bars and take-aways, and by all accounts having a great time.”
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