[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 23, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1381]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THE CRUISE INDUSTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK FOLEY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 23, 1999

  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to address an issue that is 
central to our nation's economy, the tourism industry. As co-chairman 
of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, I believe this issue is 
worth bringing to the attention of the American public. The issue I 
wish to discuss is the vital role which the cruise industry plays in 
relation to our nation's economy and tourism industry.
  In regard to our nation's economy, the cruise industry has made 
significant contributions. With more than five million annual 
passengers, the industry is a major contributor to the overall U.S. 
economy. In 1997 in my home state of Florida, the cruise industry was 
responsible for direct spending of $2.1 Billion dollars and generated 
almost 59,000 jobs.
  Companies such as those outlined below are but a few examples of 
domestic U.S. companies that depend on the cruise industry as a steady 
and important source of income:
  Tourism support services such as provided by Amadeus, Strategic 
Cruise Line Services, and Image Photo Services;
  Purchases of ship equipments, and supplies from vendors such as 
General Hotel and Restaurant, Harbour Marine Systems, International 
Paint, Mobil Aviation and Marine Sales and Ecolab;
  Corporate Services provided by companies such as Maritime 
Telecommunications Services, the Berkely Group, Howard Snoweiss Design 
Group and J. Walter Thompson;
  Ship repair and maintenance provided by companies across the country 
such as Atlantic Marine of Mobile, AL., Todd Pacific shipyards of 
Seattle, WA., Cascade General of Portland, OR., Unitour Ship Services 
of Long Beach, CA., and United States Marine Repair which owns San 
Diego Shipyard, San Francisco Drydock and Norshipco in Norfolk, VA.
  Food and beverage purchases are made in a number of states from such 
familiar sources as Coca-Cola, Kraft, Heinz, Nabisco, J.R. Simplot, 
Fresh Point, Sysco, Ernest & Julio Gallo, and Anheuser Busch. Every 
week, just one cruise ship will purchase approximately 25,000 pounds of 
food from U.S. suppliers--everything from beef, pork, chicken, seafood, 
cheese and other dairy products, to vegetables and fruit.
  The cruise industry provides employment for thousands of U.S. 
citizens aboard its ships, in shoreside corporate jobs, and with its 
extensive network of suppliers. Cruise lines and their direct suppliers 
are the largest employer of U.S. citizens in the maritime sector of the 
United States.
  Furthermore, the cruise industry also plays a significant role in our 
domestic transportation and lodging industry. The cruise industry is 
America's largest private-sector purchaser of U.S. airline tickets, 
accounting for more than four million tickets purchased annually. Pre- 
and post-cruise packages include lodging at some of the nation's 
largest hotel chains including: Hyatt, Intercontinental, Wyndham and 
Sheraton.
  In view of the cruise industry's contributions, I am proud to 
highlight some of the benefits which the tourism industry provides to 
our economy. It is with this thought in mind that I continue to 
advocate the importance of both the cruise and tourism industries. 
Support for the cruise and tourism industries will generate jobs and 
additional revenues for the United States. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, 
I wish to introduce several statistics for the record generated by a 
recent Price Waterhouse Cooper's economic analysis. I thank you for 
this time.

                 1997 CRUISE INDUSTRY ECONOMIC IMPACTS

  Direct U.S. Expenditures by Industry--Resulting from the Passenger 
                            Cruise Industry

                                                               Millions
Air Travel.......................................................$1,604
Food & Beverage.....................................................464
Financial Services..................................................352
Business Services Including Advertising.............................351
Ship Maintenance and Repair.........................................220
Other Transportation Services, Primarily Shore Tours................160
Petroleum Refining and Related Industries...........................143
Hotels and Lodging..................................................124
Insurance...........................................................120
Entertainment....................................................... 96
Other Durable Goods................................................. 78
Public Administration............................................... 67
Other Publishing and Printing....................................... 60
Nonresidential Construction......................................... 56
Fabricated Metal Products........................................... 55
Motor Vehicles and Parts............................................ 49
Other Communications................................................ 48
Retail Trade........................................................ 40
Drugs, Soaps and Sundries........................................... 34
Personal and Repair Services........................................ 22
Real Estate......................................................... 19
Apparel and Other Finished Textile Products......................... 19
All other industries..............................................1,841
Total Direct Expenditures.........................................6,150
                                                             __________
                                                             
    Total Expenditures Resulting from the Cruise Industry........11,620
                                                               ==========
_______________________________________________________________________

    U.S. Job Impact of the North American Passenger Cruise InTotal Jobs
Travel Agents, Shore Transportation & Other Transportation......$26,465
Air Travel.......................................................25,702
Passenger Cruises................................................22,000
Business Services................................................18,451
Retail Trade.....................................................10,381
Hotels and Lodging................................................7,914
Wholesale Trade...................................................7,619
Water Related Services, Primarily Ports...........................7,243
Membership and Misc. Services.....................................5,894
Ship Maintenance and Repair.......................................4,100
Food..............................................................3,714
Entertainment.....................................................3,525
Engineering & Management Services.................................2,486
Insurance.........................................................2,219
Banking...........................................................1,945
Construction......................................................1,600
Fuel................................................................473
Other Industries.................................................24,702
                                                             __________
                                                             
    Total.......................................................176,433



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