US, April 23 -- A decades-long debate over the real economic value of cruise tourism has resurfaced following the release of the Cruising for Impact report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

Positioned as a data-driven assessment of the cruise sector's global contribution, the report highlights a key finding: more than 60% of cruise passengers return to destinations they first discovered by sea, according to data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). WTTC frames this as evidence of cruising's role not just in introducing travelers to new places, but in sustaining long-term tourism demand and future visitor pipelines.

Yet, the report has gained mostly positive traction worldwide, a voice from the Caribbean, o...