Earlier this month, US Commissioner, Louis Sola released the ’Economic Impact of COVID-19 on the Cruise Industry on California, Hawaii and the Pacific’ report.
This is the fourth in a series of interim reports issued as part of the ongoing ‘Fact Finding 30’ project Sola is heading up.
The report examines direct and indirect economic impacts of the lack of cruise ship calls to ports and cities in California, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and Saipan.
It noted that the cruise industry is an important part of the tourism sectors for both California and Hawaii. Furthermore, while cruise calls to American territories in the Pacific are infrequent, the services that use the islands create tourism revenues without the need for investment in physical infrastructure necessary to attract visitors.
Previous reports have focused on Florida, Alaska/Pacific Northwest, and Texas/Gulf of Mexico. Further reports are planned.
In April, 2020, the US Federal Maritime Commission authorised Commissioner Sola to conduct ’Fact Finding 30’, an investigation of the economic impact on cruise lines, the ports on which cruise ships call, and the industries that serve these ships on the back of COVID-19.
