Item 05.1 The Cruising Coalition Opening Up The “Inland Seas of North America” The Parry Sound Perspective The Great Lakes Cruising Coalition

A significant initiative by Canadian and American Great Lakes interests to grow passenger cruising on the Great Lakes of North America Parry Sound Strategically located for Port Calls

• Port Latitude 45.3333 N • Port Longitude 80.0333 W • Distances; • Parry Sound to Little Current = 150 K • Parry Sound to Midland = 104 K What Is The Great Lakes Cruising Coalition ? • Not for profit membership organization - represents publicly owned ports, towns, cities and Great Lakes communities • Formal business approach - building Great Lakes passenger cruising • Self funding – Face time offering advice and assistance to ship owners, • Accessing funding programs where possible The St Lawrence Seaway Authorities support The G.L.C.C.

• The Ex Officio membership of… • The St Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation located in Washington D.C. U.S.A

• The Saint Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation located in Cornwall Ontario Canada How Is The Great Lakes Cruising Coalition Succeeding ? A Focused Marketing Driven Business Approach • Contact with ship owners and operators • Contact with Tour Operators & Charterers • Active European sales office in the U.K. • Continuing presence at Seatrade • Publication of the GLCC Hand-Book • Hands-on approach with all issues • Web-site portal • Educational program for ports and regions • Operation of the Great Lakes “Air-Safari” Showcasing the Great Lakes in eight days – Parry Sound The Great Lakes Air Safari “Fam-Trip” Involving…. 7-10 Ship Operators 47 Host-meetings 3400 Nautical miles 22 Communities 20 port inspections 25 Tourism product inspections Surprise –Surprise ! The G.L.C.C. Booth at Seatrade in Miami The G.L.C.C. Industry Support Program

• Innovative technical assistance from the St Lawrence seaway advisory group

• Seaway technical manual for newcomers to the St Lawrence Seaway So What Is the History of Great Lakes Cruising ?

When did Great Lakes cruising start ? Which ports were included ? What were the names of the ships? What were the names of the lines? Who went cruising at that time? The Enthusiasm for Great Lakes Cruising was Started by Great Lakes Residents In 1865

AND BY PASSSENGER SHIP PIONEERS… • Anchor Line, & Line, Canadian Pacific, Northern Steamship, Cleveland & Buffalo Line,Northern Navigation Line, Star Cole Line, Goderich Transit, Canada Steamship Lines, Georgian Bay Line, Seaway Lines, Owen Sound Transportation, Fjell-Orange Line, Sun Line One Of The Earliest Cruisers Was Charles Dickens In 1845 • 1842 crosses the Atlantic to Newfoundland • Jan 28 arrives Boston • 1842 steamboats the American canals • April 1842 cruises from Sandusky to Lake Erie and Cleveland • April 26 arrives Buffalo & Niagara Falls on the constitution • May 14-21 visits Toronto, Kingston & Montreal Sections Of Mark Twain’s 1895 Cruise Itinerary are also cruised today Cleveland-Sault Ste Marie-Mackinac-Petoskey-Duluth

• Mark twain sets off on his “at home around the world” tour, cruising between several of the Great Lakes ports. • “Leading citizens” held receptions in his honour and ticket prices for his lectures ranged from 15 cents to one dollar 1919 Great Lakes Transit Corporation Cruises (Note the magnificent artwork on These brochures The “Noronic” Northern Navigation/Canada Steamship Lines in The “Soo” locks Duluth & Georgian Bay Transit Co Cruises So who is driving the ship today ?

• Adventure cruising • Expedition cruising • Enrichment cruising • Special interest cruising • Mainstream cruising Clelia II from Travel Dynamics International in NYC C. Columbus From Hapag Lloyd in Germany, Cruising Off Tobermorey Ontario Canada Le Levant From The French Company Des Iles Du Ponnent Near The Welland Canal, Ontario Canada Nantucket Clipper From Clipper Cruise Line Near St Catharines, Ontario, Canada The Canadian Empress Rideau St Lawrence Cruise Lines Near Kingston, Ontario, Canada Cape May Light From America Classic Cruises In The Welland Canal, Ontario, Canada Niagara Prince From The American Canadian Caribbean Cruise Line In the Welland Canal, Ontario, Canada Clelia II - Duluth March 2004 Great Lakes Economic Activity Study Released (Refreshed in 2011) • Covering both Marine and Tourism spending • From the basic cruise cost to discretionary spending • 15 separate spending categories • Including fuel, food, fresh water and the disposal of garbage in an acceptable manner • Including marine fees and passenger tolls • This does NOT include either the indirect or ripple effects from this spending Results across the Great Lakes and Parry Sound ALL PORTS - ALL SHIPS Eight x 100 guest capacity cruise ships Cruising a 140 day season = $36.8 Million Includes 15 Revenue & Spending categories Not all categories (eg: Seaway tolls) are “direct expenditures”

PARRY SOUND Estimated revenue generated by one ship for each port = $732.050 Successes

• Vast majority of passengers love the Great Lakes cruise experience • Surprising – meaningful – value – recommend • Cruise firms love our tourism professionalism • GLCC now major factor as “their” portal • Cruise firms a bit like “Lemmings” • Great Lakes once more on the cruising map Challenges

• US CBP security environment -$downloading • US CBP port certification cost - $prohibitive • Canadian CBSA - $cost recovery • Pilot fees and double $pilotage • In-Port service $costs • $Cabotage Canada and USA • Ship operators unhappy and vocal about costs Main issue in the Great Lakes is “cost of operation”

Costliest region of the world Prohibitive for most lines Word travels fast ! Cost areas

Port Line Pilot Fees Handling Fees CBSA Cost Recovery

CBP Downloading Sub Agents

Baggage Handlers Tolls Security Screening Single Season Cost areas

Port Fees Line Handling Grand Total Pilot Fees $11.070 $8275 Clelia II - 2009 $28.535 $63290

CBP Downloading Head tax $2640

Baggage Handlers Welland $9850 Security Screening Tolls $2310 $250 $630 GLCC works with three Maritime laws and Four Federal Agencies

• US Passenger Service • US Coast Guard Act (cabotage law) • Canadian Coast Guard • US Customs and Border • Canadian Coasting trade Protection – CBP Act (Cabotage law) (Division of Homeland Security • US Passenger and vessel • Canada Border Services Security Act Agency - CBSA So why Parry Sound?

• Excellent location between two natural ports- of-call (Midland and Little Current) • Port can handle most size ships • Talent pool experienced with maritime commerce • Alliance between the town and the Port • Interesting, exceptional and attractive shore excursion potential Parry Sound Sightseeing & The Town • Location of the port encourages cruise guests to wander into town • Town has an intimate friendly appeal • Plenty of shopping for all levels of gifts • Outstanding shore excursion potential • 30.000 Islands Cruises • Georgian Bay Airways Flightseeing • Stockey Center for the Performing Arts • Bobby Orr Museum Shore Excursion

White Squall Paddling Center Bear Claw Tours Museum on Tower Hill G’zaagin Art Gallery Golfing Spa Experiences GLCC - Members

Active Members Active members • St Lawrence Seaway • Red Rock • Great Waterway • Mackinac Island • Kingston & Brockville • Duluth Minnesota • City of Toronto • Holland Michigan • Port of Toronto • Muskegon Michigan • Midland • The State of Michigan • Manitoulin Island • Rochester NY State • Great Spirit Circle Trail • V- Ships Monte Carlo • Thunder Bay • Navitrans Shipping Agency • Detroit Port Authority • Detroit Convention Bureau The Great Lakes Cruising Coalition Thanks you for your support