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USA
PORT OF SEATTLE PREDICTS
GROWTH FOR 2023
The Port of Seattle saw a 6% growth in passenger volume at the end of its 2022 cruise season, compared to the last full pre-Covid season of 2019, with 1.28 million revenue passengers, or 640,000 individual travellers passing through the Port of Seattle for an Alaskan cruise.
Both Seattle and the Seattle southside region saw dramatic recoveries in tourism activity, with year on year hotel occupancy in downtown Seattle showing growing 67 percent in May and 63 percent in June.
Demand for cruises to Alaska and stays in Seattle and Washington State remain very high, indicating strong economic activity potential for the upcoming 2023 season. While slightly fewer ships will sail from Seattle this year, ship occupancy will continue to increase to an estimated 85 percent next year.
Preliminary forecasts call for 1.3 million revenue passengers (650,000 guests) with the season potentially stretching from 15th April to 30th October, however, this may change as cruise lines update itineraries.
This year the Port is also focusing its efforts on its goal
to be the greenest and most energy-efficient port in
North America and alongside Alaskan and Canadian port communities, cruise industry partners and environmental experts - has launched a collaborative effort to explore the feasibility of a fully decarbonised maritime green corridor.
The concept of shipping Green Corridors came out of Conference of Parties (COP) 26 meetings in Glasgow.
The first-ever cruise Green Corridor is aimed at accelerating maritime decarbonisation through the deployment of low and zero greenhouse gas emission solutions between Alaska, British Columbia and Washington.
BRAND USA HOSTS AGENTS
ACROSS THE USA
Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation for the United States, held its first-ever pan-European Mega FAM at the
end of 2022, hosting 60 UK and European sales agents from nine key markets across six simultaneous U.S. itineraries.
In partnership with American Airlines and British Airways, the first Brand USA Mega FAM since pre- pandemic saw agents travel from coast to coast, with tours in Portland and Seattle, New Orleans and Austin, Chicago and Nashville, as well as Boston and Newport.
Agents got to visit new hotels, attractions as well as take part in various activities. The different itineraries culminated with a joint grand finale in Fort Worth, Texas, where agents enjoyed guided walking tours and experienced the legendary Billy Bob’s Honky Tonk.
The next Brand USA Mega FAM in partnership with American Airlines and British Airways is set to take place on 19th April 2023, hosting 60 agents from the U.K. & Ireland on six itineraries across the U.S.
Agents will need to log their bookings made with American Airlines and British Airways from 16th January - 28th February 2023 in order to be eligible to win a place on the trip, as well as complete the Mega FAM Airlines Badge on the USA Discovery Program U.K. & Ireland website.
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FEBRUARY 2023