The Great Lakes cruise ships that already bring passengers to such cities as Cleveland, Detroit, Port Colborne, and Duluth could soon be adding Buffalo to their list of destinations. After more than three years of planning and conducting economic impact studies, Buffalo is as close as it has ever been to becoming a Great Lakes cruise port city.
Imagine a cruise ship with 200 passengers pulling into the Outer Harbor and bringing with them lots of discretionary dollars to spend at area cultural destinations, historical landmarks, restaurants, and shops.
That’s the end game for a concerted effort underway now, jointly being championed by Visit Buffalo Niagara and the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. That goal may happen as soon as within the next two years.
Talks are underway with Great Lakes cruise ship operators - two of which are in Buffalo this week scouting the Outer Harbor and area destinations.
Officials are optimistic that Buffalo could not only be a Great Lakes port but a port of call where the ships would either begin or end their voyages, and that opens the door for visitors spending more time and dollars locally.
Talks have been good, said Mark Wendel, ECHDC president.
“The primary spot that we're focusing on is the outer harbor. I don't think any locations are really closed yet because we’re going to need, when we get a design consultant on board, to work through and go through all the issues that we have to resolve,” Wendel said.
Last summer, Cleveland welcomed more than 175,000 Great Lakes cruise ship passengers. Port Colborne in Southern Ontario saw more than 100,000 people visit via a Great Lakes cruise ship.
Conservative estimates said that if Buffalo becomes a Great Lakes cruise ship destination, it could have at least a $125 million economic impact, with each visitor spending at least $120 per day on ancillary purchases.
According to Patrick Kaler, Visit Buffalo Niagara president and CEO, studies show that cruise ship passengers often return to cities they visited to see more attractions. That translates to a long-term economic impact for the city.
“Tour planners really like what Buffalo has to offer. In speaking with one in particular, some of their passengers specifically are traveling for presidential history and parks. Frank Lloyd Wright is a very big architectural attraction for travelers as well. So, we check off so many of those boxes specifically for cruise passengers,” Kaler said.
Officials expect a final decision by later this year or early 2026.
