One lucky cruise ship passenger at Ogden point today became the seven millionth to arrive in the city.
Reshma, from Trinidad and Tobago, and her family arrived on Royal Caribbean International ship Explorer of the Seas!
The announcement of this milestone comes courtesy of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA).
“Victoria has so much to offer to international visitors,” said GVHA CEO Ian Robertson. “It’s not surprising that the city continues to attract attention from travellers and cruise lines. I look forward to welcoming this very special passenger to our city.”
Canada’s Busiest Cruise Ship Port
Before Victoria earned its current title of Canada’s busiest cruise ship port of call, the city’s scene was relatively quiet. When first becoming a cruise destination in 1978, Victoria only welcomed 20,000 visitors, it wasn’t until 2003 that the city reached one million visitors in total. But the pace of arrival has since picked up. This summer alone, the city will see approximately 550,000 cruise ship visitors.
One recent report by Cruise Lines International Association put the direct economic value of cruise ships in Victoria at $130 million, an increase of $30 million since 2012.
