Number of cruise ships arriving in Southampton back to pre-pandemic levels
Southampton Port estimates each cruise is worth an average of £2.7m to the region
Last updated 11th Oct 2023
The number of cruise ships that have arrived in Hampshire this year is already at pre-pandemic levels, with an economic impact for the area of £2.7 million per cruise.
Seven new cruise ships will visit Southampton in 2023, amongst an estimated two million passengers on nearly 500 vessels. Meanwhile Portsmouth is looking to triple the number of passengers welcomed on cruise calls from 35,000 in 2022 to 97,000 on 83 ships in 2023.
Southampton port estimates that, on average, each cruise call is worth £2.7 million to the local economy.
At a Hampshire County Council Cabinet meeting (October 10), the Director of Hampshire 2050, Gary Westbrook, indicated that half of that generated income stays in the region.
Mr Westbrook said, “We are back to those pre-pandemic levels. About two million passengers come through the port of Southampton every year on those cruise ships.
“Based on various economic studies we have done, about £2.7 million of benefits per cruise ship called, and there are 500 of those a year. They are hugely important for the local, regional and national economy.
“There are studies about making sure that, as far as possible, we retain the economic benefit of that within our local area. Currently, about fifty per cent of that economic benefit stays locally in the area of Pan-Hampshire.
“About 14,000 jobs a year, so that’s really significant, and that links to the supply chain, the fact that those cruise ships are refuelling, restocking, and other jobs and supply chain associated.
He also mentioned that efforts to promote tourist spots in Hampshire are underway to encourage tourist spending in the area.
“Making Hampshire itself an important destination, which is attractive in terms of using Southampton as a stopping point because people come to the UK to visit our area.
“To make sure tourists spend money in our area, we are working very closely with the range of our tourist attractions and local tourist spots to really promote what those are. Wine tourism is currently a “boom boom” industry in our area and an example of how to make sure the money is spent in our area.”