MARCH 2008: AROUND THE STATE
Newport looks to the cruise ship industry to help float its
boat
NEWPORT Newport
could find its niche in the niche cruise industry, experts say,
but it’s not going to happen overnight.
A recent feasibility study found that the Port of Newport has
the infrastructure to host smaller cruise ships, up to 600
feet, and initial response from the industry has been positive,
says Bill Cook, principal partner at Cook and Associates in
Astoria, which conducted the study. Executives at Princess
Cruise Lines have even expressed interest in sending a ship
there for a test run.
Unlike Astoria, which serves as a stopover for larger
ships making the transition from summer tours in Alaska to
winter waters down south, Newport’s opportunity lies in
attracting specialized, niche excursions, Cook says. The
smaller vessels could stay longer and even use Newport as a
point of embarkation for other destinations along the Columbia
River.
Drawing cruise ships to port is no easy task, though. Some
communities, such as Eureka, Calif., have been trying to
entice cruise lines for years but continue to get the cold
shoulder, says Lawrence Dessler, executive director of the
Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance, an organization that promotes
the industry. Even in Astoria, where 19 cruise ships are
expected this year, it took about 10 years to grab the
industry’s attention, says Bruce Conner, director of
cruise marketing for Astoria’s port. He estimates that
$20,000 to $30,000 is spent annually in further marketing
efforts.
For Newport to see any cruise traffic, it’s also going
to take aggressive marketing, Cook and Dessler agree.
Networking with other ports of call, including Astoria, to
develop itineraries in the region will be critical.
With each cruise patron spending from $70 to $120 on average
at each port of call, the industry can be quite a boon for
local business, though the feasibility study did not address
the economic impact for Newport. This month, officials plan to
begin gauging support from the community before deciding how to
proceed.
JAMIE HARTFORD
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