Bosses at the Port of Tyne are celebrating an uplift in the number of cruise calls to the river following a resurgence of the industry after the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
The port operator says a record 61 cruise ships carrying 164,000 passengers called in the river during 2023 - a 127% increase on 2022's level when 32 vessels carrying 72,000 passengers arrived. Pre-Covid the passenger levels had been 127,000 in 2018 and 140,000 in 2019.
The figures were highlighted as the Tyne marks 25 years of cruise industry activity, which started with launch of the International Passenger Terminal in North Shields, during 1999.
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Since then, Port of Tyne says £5m has been invested in Northumbrian Quay, near the Royal Quays Marina, which can handle 2,000 passengers in a turnaround call and vessels up to 300m in length. In that time, improvements have been made to the Quay's passenger lounge, check-in desks and car parking facilities.
In April 2022, three of the region's main travel and tourism-associated businesses - the Port of Tyne, Newcastle International Airport and NewcastleGateshead Initiative - said they were working together to bring more cruising to the Tyne. Before the pandemic, around 700,000 cruise and ferry ship visitors came through the passenger terminal, but numbers fell sharply in 2020.
Matt Beeton, CEO at the Port of Tyne, said: "We’ve gone from welcoming the Cunard’s Royal Viking Sun on August 30, 1999 as our first cruise ship to Fred Olsen’s The Balmoral coming in on August 29, 2024 - the day before it all started 25 years ago. Our offer has grown year-on-year, with a record number of cruise ship calls this year. We’ve upgraded our facilities over the years to ensure the region remains a top destination for cruise passengers. We are currently extending our 5G network, making us the first smart port in the 海角视频, which will open up even more opportunities for passengers coming into the Tyne."
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The port operator has highlighted some of the high profile ships that have visited the river over the past 25 years, including the QE2, which called in 2007 and 2008. And the Disney Magic cruise vessel visited the terminal in 2016, on a day which brought a record five passenger ships.
North East mayor Kim McGuinness said: “The Port of Tyne is synonymous with the North East and welcomes passengers from all corners of the globe to experience the very best our region has to offer. It plays a crucial role and is vital to making our area the fantastic place we know it is - to live, work, invest and visit. The North East has unrivalled access to the North Sea and as mayor I’m determined to harness all the opportunities this presents, to attract more investment, create jobs and strengthen our visitor economy – firmly placing the North East where it belongs: proudly on the world stage.”
Ian Thomas, director of visitor economy at NewcastleGateshead Initiative and lead delivery partner for Destination North East England, added: “Anyone who is from here or has visited here knows North East England is a fantastic place to visit, offering unrivalled landscapes, world-class cultural experiences, a proper canny welcome and great value for money.
"We’re very fortunate to have the fantastic facilities at the Port of Tyne which allows visitors to explore everything from our vibrant food and drink scene to Unesco world heritage sites like Hadrian’s Wall. The Port of Tyne remains one of the country’s premier international gateways and it's amazing that it's on our doorstep as we continue to work closely alongside Visit Britain to amplify the region's story to attract more visitors from abroad.
“The growth and further investment from the port in its International Passenger Terminal will support us to reach our goal of doubling the value of the visitor economy over the next decade, supporting numerous jobs and contributing significantly to the regional economy.”