In 2023, four cruise ships brought over 4,000 passengers to Duluth, including the Ocean Navigator, Octantis, Polaris, and Hanseatic Inspiration. This was a significant increase from the previous year as nearly 25,000 passengers made 800 visits to Great Lakes ports. The influx of visitors had a significant economic impact on the city as it contributed nearly $600,000 in direct spending to businesses such as shops, restaurants, transportation providers, tour operators, and small businesses in Duluth and other Great Lakes ports.
Dan Hartman expressed enthusiasm about the influx of visitors to Duluth as many of them would not have come otherwise and had discovered the city’s appeal. Anna Tanski highlighted Cruise the Great Lakes’ commitment to promoting unique cruising experiences available in the region and emphasized its growing popularity as a destination.
Cruise the Great Lakes serves as a platform for collaboration between various stakeholders such as states, provinces, cruise lines, ports, conventions, visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce and associations towards common goals. For more information on Cruise the Great Lakes visit their website while staying updated on Northern News Now by downloading their app or signing up for their First Alert weather app. Copyright 2023 Northern News Now. All rights reserved.