New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky and NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta today welcomed the Cruise Canada New England Symposium to New York City for the first time in its 13-year history. The symposium brings together cruise industry leaders to network, learn best practices, and also to promote the Canada and New England region as an international cruise destination. This year’s symposium attracted over 225 attendees including six cruise line presidents. The cruise ship industry continues to play an increasingly important role in New York City’s tourism industry and overall economy – cruise passengers and crew spent approximately $144 million while ashore in the City last year, contributing to the record-breaking 48.8 million visitors who visited New York City in 2010. The attendees also ate lunch on the Carnival Miracle today, which, beginning in April 2012, will be making New York City its year-round homeport.

“We are proud to be hosting the Cruise Canada New England Symposium for the first time in its thirteen years,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky. “The cruise industry continues to be an economic boon for the City, and today’s announcement that the Carnival Miracle will start offering year-round cruises from New York City will do even more to stimulate our economy, bringing additional visitors and generating nearly $13 million in direct spending.”

“New York City’s cruise industry is so vital to the health of our $31 billion tourism industry—as more cruise lines call on New York, more visitors will get a chance to experience the five boroughs’ unique energy, diversity and dynamism. We also applaud Carnival for their announcement today that they will establish a year-round presence in New York,” said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company, the City’s marketing, tourism and partnership organization.

Beginning in April 2012, the Carnival Miracle will make an additional 21 calls at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, with destinations that include the Bahamas and Caribbean Islands. The ship calls will bring an estimated 52,000 additional embarking passengers into New York City, resulting in an estimated $13 million in direct spending. The Carnival Miracle will be the third major cruise ship to call year-round in New York City.

“New York is one of the highest-rated homeports for ‘Fun Ship’ cruising. Carnival Miracle’s new year-round eight-day departures offer consumers the best of both worlds — a choice of three attractive year-round Caribbean and Bahamas itinerary options with the opportunity to depart from one of the world’s great cities,” said Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill.

Last year, New York City had a record-breaking tourism year, welcoming 48.8 million visitors—39.1 million domestic and 9.7 million international—who spent $31 billion. New York City also has a 33 percent market share of all overseas travel to the United States, the highest in the nation. Tourism is the City’s fifth largest industry and impacts 320,000 jobs in the hospitality and leisure sector.

The New York City Economic Development Corporation, which manages both the Manhattan and Brooklyn Cruise Terminals, recently announced the results of the 2010 Economic Impact Study of cruise passenger and crew spending in New York City. The study showed that cruise passengers and crew spent an estimated $144.6 million in New York City in 2010, far exceeding the $93.8 million spent in 2009. Embarking passengers were the largest spenders at $117.9 million, followed by crew spending at $21.5 million and transit passenger spending at $5.2 million. Passengers with pre- or post-cruise overnight stays had the highest average spending per passenger at $437 during a two-night stay. Only 21 percent of cruise passengers resided in the tri-state area.

Cruise passenger arrivals in New York City were also significantly higher in 2010 compared to 2009. In 2009, there were 445,718 combined embarking and transit passengers and 181 ship calls. These numbers jumped to 582,979 combined embarking and transit passengers and 241 ship calls in 2010. The Economic Development Corporation currently projects this upward trend to continue in 2011 with an expected 264 ship calls and 645,000 passengers.

The Carnival Miracle will launch a year-round program of eight-day cruises to the Caribbean and Bahamas from New York beginning in April 2012. On this schedule, Carnival Miracle will offer three uniquely different eight-day itineraries that visit a diversity of islands throughout the Caribbean and Bahamas. The itineraries include:

•  Eastern Caribbean departures to San Juan, St. Thomas and Grand Turk, offered on a rotating basis April through October
•  Bahamas sailings featuring stops at the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk and Nassau, offered on a rotating basis April through October
•  Bahamas/Florida cruises with port calls to Port Canaveral (Orlando), Nassau and Freeport, offered November through April