Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The Port has been named the most responsible for a 10% increase in passenger numbers.
As a country, the United Kingdom has always been a seafaring people. From Britannia, the ocean goddess who personifies the country, to Britain’s legendary naval power during the Victorian period, it seems that Britons have always been keen to take to the sea. It’s no surprise then to discover that not much has changed over the years. Recent reports by the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) have shown that a record number of passengers have been departing and visiting Britain on cruise ships.
Defying the effects of the recession, the British cruise ship industry has experienced a boom in recent years. Many attribute this increase to the United Kingdom’s ideal location for exploring Europe and the Mediterranean as well as the huge range of ports, including the rising number of international passenger harbours. Statistics have revealed that one of the most successful international harbours is the Port of Portsmouth, which was responsible for bringing in the largest number of passengers last year. This is likely to have been due to the launch of Portsmouth’s new passenger terminal in 2011, which was specifically designed for cruise ships and their passengers. Since then, the city in the South of England has attracted a growing number of ships and has become a major player in the British tourism industry. In more detail, the number of British people who took cruises last year increased from 12 percent to 52 percent and it is estimated that almost 2 million holidaymakers took to the seas last year. Of this number, the majority of travelers came from the south of England and this is likely to be because of the ease of access to international ports like Portsmouth. Overall, the country experienced a 10 percent increase in passenger numbers last year and many are expecting this number to grow significantly in the years to come.
In addition to an increase of British cruise ship passengers, the number of tourists visiting the British Isles have also increased. The tourism boom is likely to be because of Britain’s time in the spotlight during the Olympic Games and the popularity of British culture across the world. With more people looking to visit the country, cruising is often the preferred mode of travel as it makes the exploration of the British coastline simple. With this in mind the number of cruise ships visiting the United Kingdom has risen, with a record number of 34 ships visiting Portsmouth respectively. This has been ideal for the hotels in Portsmouth, as well as shops, restaurants and local attractions. Furthermore, this increase has resulted in an 11% increase in passengers visiting the United Kingdom via cruise ship overall, which has made for a positive impact on the economy as a whole.
With more passengers leaving and entering British ports and the success of new international harbours like Portsmouth, experts are predicting further increase in the future.
Author – Adam has been writing articles for a number of years with great success
