The article examines the influence of global and local factors on the planning and implementation of large investment projects in the field of tourism in St. Petersburg. Analyzed the current and long-term political and economic factors that must be taken into account when developing a marketing concept for a cruise tourism project with a point of departure and end of routes in the city. The project includes the creation of an international cruise tourism center and a marine passenger shipping company, including the construction of a sea vessel. The negative influence of such factors as: political and economical confrontation with Western countries, aggravated in the period after 2014; restrictions on cross-border movements; increase in the audience of tourists from Southeast Asia. On the other hand, the implementation of the project can be favorably influenced by such factors as: internal political factors of competition between regional elites, the prevailing culture of cruise shipments on the Baltic Sea in the “ferry” format; the effect of replacing “shortfalls in foreign expenditures”; integration with the opening of the “Lakhta Center” and the direction of cinema tourism. An assessment was made of the degree of influence of these factors on the marketing concept of the project for the development of a cruise message and the terms of its payback.