CRUISE ships visiting Orkney this year have already brought more than £4 million into the islands, with an even bigger number of liners expected next year.
A total of 79 cruise liners have visited Orkney this season, which ends on September 23 when the expedition ship Hanseatic brings just under 200 passengers to Stromness.
The giant MSC Splendida, with over 4,300 passengers on board, will call into Orkney for the first time next year and make four further visits during 2015. Among other liners that will visit the islands next year is the Queen Elizabeth, which will be helping to mark the 175th anniversary of the Cunard shipping line.
During 2014, income in the form of harbour dues paid to Orkney Islands Council Marine Services from cruise ship port calls has topped £1 million for the first time. This is an increase of just under 30 per cent on last year's figure of £790,000.
A survey carried out last summer indicated that Orkney's cruise ship industry generates almost £3.1 million for the local economy each year, with each cruise passenger spending on average around £46 while ashore. This year there were 13,000 more passengers than 2013.
"The number of cruise ship visits to Orkney has remained pretty steady in recent years," said Marine Services Business Development Manager Michael Morrison. "But we're seeing more visits by bigger vessels, resulting in greater overall passenger numbers and a rise in the revenue we receive.
"The increase in the size of ships visiting is a good indicator of the level of confidence that the industry has in our ability to deliver a quality experience for visiting passengers and is good news for Orkney's economy."
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