- The cruise industry supports a broad European industrial and tourism ecosystem, delivering tangible benefits across national and local economies
- Cruises promote peripheral destinations, support off-season travel, and contribute to more balanced tourism flows across regions
- Cruise activity supports a geographically diverse network of destinations, including many coastal islands and regional communities
- The sector contributes to Europe’s tourism competitiveness and maritime industrial base
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the leading voice of the cruise industry, shared highlights from the Economic Impact Study yesterday at the CLIA European Summit in Madeira. The study shows that cruise activity is supported by an extensive and diversified supply chain that reaches deep into national and local economies, underscoring the cruise sector’s role as a robust job creator across Europe. In 2024, the cruise industry supported 445,000 jobs across Europe and contributed €64.1 billion to the European economy. Of this total, €28 billion contributed directly to European GDP.
The findings, reflecting cruise’s contribution in 2024, come at a time when policymakers across Europe are increasingly focused on sustainable and balanced tourism development, an area where cruise can make a positive contribution.
The impact of cruise tourism reaches well beyond passenger activity, supporting a European industrial base that includes shipbuilding, advanced manufacturing and local services.
Bud Darr, President and CEO of CLIA said: “These numbers demonstrate that cruise tourism is an integral part of Europe’s maritime economy, delivering meaningful value across the continent—supporting jobs, businesses, and coastal communities through a wide and interconnected value chain. The benefits extend well beyond ports—supporting suppliers and local economies across regions, including coastal, island, and remote areas, while also contributing to more balanced tourism flows. As a result, cruise contributes to Europe’s competitiveness while delivering tangible benefits at the community level”.
Cruise activity supports a wide network of European businesses, from shipyards and component suppliers to ports, logistics providers, hospitality operators and small and medium-sized enterprises across the continent.
In 2024, cruise-related direct spending reached €31 billion. This included €14 billion in goods and services purchased from European suppliers and €10 billion in cruise-related shipbuilding.
Beyond its industrial footprint, cruise activity channels revenue directly into the destinations where ships operate, supporting a diverse range of coastal, island and regional economies.
Nikos Mertzanidis, Executive Director for CLIA in Europe stated: “Cruise accounts for around 3 percent of global tourism while delivering significant economic benefits to destinations and communities. Crucially, the impact of cruising is geographically distributed. Cruise activity channels revenue directly into the destinations where ships operate, creating tangible economic benefits for local communities. For island and maritime regions in particular, cruising can represent a stable and recurring source of income. Furthermore, cruises promote and support peripheral destinations, off-season travel, and responsible tourism”.
Overall economic contribution increased by nearly 16% compared to 2023, reflecting sustained demand for cruise travel across Europe.
