Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water Revenue Benchmarks
The average scenic and sightseeing transportation, water business in the United States generates $804K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,068 scenic and sightseeing transportation, water businesses in the U.S., employing 9,841 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $43K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water Business Actually Do?
Sightseeing cruises, harbor tours, whale watching, jet boat tours. Include Circle Line NYC, Boston Harbor Cruises.
Who buys: Tourists, families, group travel, event bookings (private charter).
Average Revenue
$804K
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$169K
per year
Total Businesses
2,068
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$40K
small business avg
Labor Cost
35.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$43K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.6
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water Charge?
Sightseeing cruises, harbor tours, whale-watching, jet boat tours. Priced per passenger.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Harbor tour (60–90 min) | $25–65 |
Whale watching | $50–120 |
Sunset dinner cruise | $85–200 |
Private charter (per hour) | $300–1,500/hour |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete scenic and sightseeing transportation, water business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a scenic and sightseeing transportation, water business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the scenic and sightseeing transportation, water industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Fuel & vehicle costs | $30 | $241K | Fuel is often the single biggest line — plus tires, maintenance, tolls. |
Wages & benefits | $35 | $281K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $48K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $24K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $21 | $169K | Insurance (very high), truck payments, dispatching software, driver benefits. |
Net profit | $5 | $40K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
15.71%
openings/year
Closure Rate
15.04%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+17.33%
annual
Businesses Closed
217
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
45 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a scenic and sightseeing transportation, water business do?
- Sightseeing cruises, harbor tours, whale watching, jet boat tours. Include Circle Line NYC, Boston Harbor Cruises. Tourists, families, group travel, event bookings (private charter).
- How much do scenic and sightseeing transportation, water charge?
- Sightseeing cruises, harbor tours, whale-watching, jet boat tours. Priced per passenger. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average scenic and sightseeing transportation, water make per year?
- The average scenic and sightseeing transportation, water business generates $804K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $40K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many scenic and sightseeing transportation, water businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,068 scenic and sightseeing transportation, water businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 9,841 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a scenic and sightseeing transportation, water business?
- Startup costs for a scenic and sightseeing transportation, water business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the scenic and sightseeing transportation, water industry?
- The average employee in the scenic and sightseeing transportation, water industry earns $43K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The scenic and sightseeing transportation, water industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 17.3% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (15.7% entry vs 15.0% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 44% of scenic and sightseeing transportation, water businesses survive their first 5 years. This is below the national average (~50%) — new entrants face elevated risk of failure. Ensure adequate capitalization. In 2023, 217 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the scenic and sightseeing transportation, water industry earns $42,997/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 2,456 establishments employing 17,134 people, the typical business has about 7 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The scenic and sightseeing transportation, water industry has grown 35% since 2000 (from 1,173 to 1,579 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water revenue with other industries: