Figures just released have revealed a big drop in the amount of passengers taking cruises from Southampton.
The number of passengers dropped last year by 100,000 to 1.6 million people.
However, in contrast Liverpool is set to see a 12% rise in its number of passengers this year.
So why the sudden shift?
Liverpool’s assistant mayor and cabinet member for culture and tourism Wendy Simon commented to say: “We’re delighted by the growth of Liverpool’s cruise industry.
“We think this is driven by a combination of factors, predominantly our city centre location and the sheer choice of quality experiences on the doorstep and in the surrounding region.
Our world class hospitality has ensured Liverpool is a firm favourite with international passengers, along with the fantastic city-wide support network behind our cruise operation.”
Industry insiders commented off the record to suggest that the drop in passengers seen in Southampton is down to the lack of new ships entering the port in 2014. However, with Britannia having launched in Southampton earlier this year it’s expected that the 2015 figures may rise sharply again.
Whilst Southampton’s numbers may have dropped, it still continues to reign as the biggest port in Europe and contributes over £1 billion to the local economy every year.
Do you think this trend will continue as cruisers demand more local ports around the UK?
Are there any other ports other than Southampton that you would rather use?
Let us know in the comments below!
