Port Everglades cruise biz is sinking
One of the few areas where the cruise industry is not growing: Port Everglades.
About 3.4 million passengers came through Fort Lauderdale in the year ended 30 Sept., slightly fewer than the number five years ago. And next summer, only one large ship will sail from of the world’s No. 3 cruise port, down from three this past summer, reports the Sun-Sentinel.
Port officials attribute the falloff to a decline in the day-cruise business, competition from new gambling venues on land and consumer clamor for European rather than Caribbean vacations.
“The Caribbean in the last 12 months has not been as attractive as it has been in the past,” said Carlos Buqueras, director of business development at Port Everglades.
The number of day-cruise passengers has declined by half from its peak of 1.4 million in 2004. The exit of the St. Tropez gambling ship in mid-2005, combined with new competition from land-based casinos such as the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, has taken a toll.
Port Everglades has been able to hold its ranking as the No. 3 cruise port, after Miami and Port Canaveral, by attracting some big new ships, the newspaper says.
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
All eyes on Qatar as Qatar Airways leads a season of global events