Chamber Advocates For Cruise Ships And Business Impacts

The Santa Barbara City Council recently voted 6-1 (Mayor Rowse opposed) to implement a cap of 20 cruise ships per year in Santa Barbara, as well requiring that cruise ships visiting Santa Barbara meet a variety of environmental criteria regarding best practices and technologies. The decision on a cap was not aligned with the Chamber’s position, which argued that an arbitrary cap created uncertainty for the many businesses that have come to rely on cruise ship business during the off-season. This decision was the result of a 24-month process involving the Waterfront staff, the Harbor Commission, and the Cruise Ship Workgroup to evaluate the benefits and impacts of the Cruise Ship Program and propose changes. Over the past 2-years the Chamber continued to advocate on behalf of the economic and business benefits of the program, which injects up to $5 million into our local economy each year.