Lewes port of call in the works

Could the first town in the First State become a cruise ship port of call?

Could the first town in the First State become a cruise ship port of call?

The Delaware Tourism Office is heading up the effort and has already hosted a meeting with the Lewes Chamber of Commerce to pitch the idea of using the ferry terminal as a port of call gateway.

“A lot of these boats are leaving from Baltimore going to the Chesapeake Bay and they are stopping in St. Michaels and Cambridge, towns very similar to Lewes,” Betsy Reamer, Executive Director of the Lewes Chamber of Commerce, said.

“So, the fact that we are not doing that now, I think this is going to be a positive for our economy,” Betsy Reamer, Executive Director of the Lewes Chamber of Commerce, said.

Reamer says the idea is to find a smaller cruise line that carries no more than 100 passengers. Reamer also said the Tourism Office indicated there would be minimal impact to traffic since most passengers would be walkers or cyclists.

The cruise lines being considered would also use vessels smaller than the ferry. So with infrastructure and attractions already in place, why not pursue an economic opportunity?

Lewes Mayor James Ford says he likes the sound of the revenue estimates.

Listen:
[audio: /delaware/090805salewes.mp3]

“The passengers spend about $85 to $100 when they hit the towns in their port of call,” Ford said. “So if you use those numbers even conservatively that gives you an idea of the economic stimulus might be for Lewes and the surrounding area.”

The chamber office tells us another meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 13 so the Delaware Tourism Office can make a presentation to Lewes area museums and other attractions.