\n\tApproximately 330 cruise ships visited Victoria this season, bringing with them roughly 850,000 passengers. Those visitors filled Victoria\u2019s streets and spent money throughout the region.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt was a busy summer,\u201d said Damian Merino, general manager of the Bard and Banker pub. \u201cProbably our busiest summer ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tFor the pub, this summer\u2019s numbers beat pre-pandemic levels thanks in part to a record-breaking cruise ship season.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThere was definitely an increase in tourism,\u201d said Merino. \u201cI think a lot of people were finally ready to just come out of their shells and get back out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tFor Tally-Ho Carriage Tours, this year felt like some stability was brought back to the region’s tourism sector.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe were slightly up over last year, just slightly,\u201d said Donna Freelander, owner of Tally-Ho Carriage Tours.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe pandemic lockdown, compounded by travel restrictions, nearly wiped out the 120-year-old business.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThings were really tough,\u201d said Freelander. \u201cI\u2019m actually really humbled to be able to stand here today and say we\u2019re still operating.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tClint and Bridgette Hutson were visiting Victoria for the first time this week, on vacation from Cincinnati. They spent the day wandering the Inner Harbour and were taken aback by what Victoria has to offer.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful, absolutely gorgeous,\u201d said Clint.<\/p>\n
\n\tAccording to Destination Greater Victoria, the tourism sector as a whole is worth $2.3 billion to our local economy. The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority says $153 million of that is a direct result of the cruise industry.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe way I see the cruise business is it introduces 800,000 or more [people] to the destination, often for the first time,\u201d said Paul Nursey, CEO of Destination Greater Victoria. \u201cResearch demonstrates that over 60 per cent of them will come back on a land-based vacation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAt the beginning of the season there were concerns that tough economic times could cause visitors to rein in their spending once they arrived.<\/p>\n
\n\tAccording to Nursey, those concerns didn\u2019t seem to materialize.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhat we\u2019re finding is that consumers are prioritizing experiences over things. So for now, at least, travel is being prioritized, living life is being prioritized,\u201d said Nursey. \u201cMaybe that\u2019s one of the changes coming out of the pandemic, that travel is more of a priority.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Greater Victoria Harbour Authority expects to welcome roughly the same number of cruise ships next year. The final ship of 2023 will arrive at the end of this month.<\/p>\n