Another cruise ship will be docking in Thunder Bay this spring, as it travels from Toronto to Chicago.
Local tourism manager Paul Pepe is looking forward to the economic benefits the brand new 175 guest ship, called Hanseatic Inspiration, will bring. “Small ship like this could have an economic impact anywhere from about $40,000-$80,000 for the 8-10 hours it’s in port. So it helps showcase the city to a whole new demographic of affluent global travelers.”
The city tourism manager expects the ship to dock at Thunder Bay June 11th, costing each guest at least $10,000 to be on board. “I did a Caribbean cruise 4 years ago, for my wife and I, and when the dust settled, it was $10,000 for two of us. So there’s a value you place on that, and there are people willing to pay for that, there’s a lot of people willing to pay for that.”
The city tourism manager adds Thunder Bay has a very good reputation for hosting cruise ships, with many replenishing their supplies here and guests touring the area. “A lot of German clientelle, Austrian and European in general. And because Toronto and Chicago have international airports, with direct flights to the overseas markets, they typically like to use those gateways.”
Pepe adds the ship will dock for a few hours, not expected to pick up or drop off passengers in Thunder Bay.
The ship will be returning this way, back to Toronto, stopping in Thunder Bay again June 23.
