The numbers show B.C. cruise sector activity was not irrecoverably harmed by COVID.
B.C. is ending its cruise ship season this year with a near-record number of ships and passengers – an achievement all the more remarkable when you consider, according to government’s critics and the industry itself, the cruise sector in this province was supposed to be a smouldering apocalyptic ruin by now.It was only 18 months ago that cruise companies, Alaska politicians and the Opposition BC Liberals collectively warned that B.C.
“Advice for @jjhorgan: don’t underestimate Don Young and the Alaska Delegation! Our bill, the ‘blip’ as you say, is now headed to be signed into law. This season, cruise passengers will safely sail to our state to support Alaska’s jobs and economy – not BC’s,” tweeted the now late Alaska congressman Don Young.
“We’ve had a very successful year,” said Ian Robertson, CEO of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.“From our preliminary schedule for 2023, we’re expecting another nine per cent increase in ships for Vancouver, on top of this year’s numbers,” said Mandy Chan, the manager of cruise services for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.In Prince Rupert, 42 ships arrived this year.
I admit I gave too much credence to the warnings from the cruise sector’s lobbyists. And that became a feedback loop, with the media, opposition, industry and naysayers amplifying each other, pummeling the Horgan government on the issue for weeks while the premier sat perplexed at the eruption of American sabre-rattling going on at his expense.Robertson said after the issue blew up in mid-2021, Horgan called him directly.