Jamaica’s cruise sector is rebounding strongly, according to Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett, following a slowdown caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Bartlett said during a destination assurance meeting in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, that Jamaica continues to witness an increase in cruise passenger arrivals, with about 855,000 visiting in 2022.
He also stated that 1.4 million people are expected to arrive during the current fiscal year.
According to the Minister, cruise lines have shown their faith in Jamaica by hiring about 10,000 Jamaicans to work aboard ships overseas in 2022.
According to the Minister, based on interactions with executives of major cruise lines, Jamaica remains a first-call destination on their list and will witness greater activity in the coming months.
“While the numbers have not yet returned to our expectations, we have been capturing our fair share of the market.” “We welcomed the largest cruise ship in the world [the Wonder of the Seas] last December, and yes… its owners… Royal Caribbean… have committed to sending us more of their Oasis-class vessels,” he said.
According to Mr. Bartlett, the cruise business is fast expanding and is quickly becoming an important component of the worldwide tourism economy.
Bartlett revealed that Royal Caribbean International (RCI) has committed to expanding the number of passengers delivered to Jamaica by 2023, as well as strengthening its training cooperation with the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU).
“This agreement was reached during the 28th Annual Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) conference, which was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, last October,” he added.
The Minister stated that Jamaica has proved that, even when the pandemic required the closure of all local ports of call, including Montego Bay, Falmouth, Ocho Rios, Kingston, Port Royal, and Port Antonio, tremendous work was done to secure the ships’ safe and seamless return.
“I must commend the work being done by Jamaica Vacations Limited (JamVac) as well as the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) to drive the country’s cruise tourism recovery efforts,” he said.
Bartlett stated that there is currently a huge surge in interest in homeporting, with TUI considering having a second vessel homeport in Port Royal, and Germany’s Aida Cruises continuing to do so in Montego Bay.
“As a result, Jamaica’s homeporting opportunities have expanded, and we have seen a rise in pre/post cruise extension visits from 25% to 40%,” he added.
Bartlett credited the spectacular revival of the global cruise industry to “pent-up demand,” adding that he expects the trend to continue until 2023.
This, he said, demonstrates the strong quality of human capital “within our country, allowing more Jamaicans to earn a living and make significant contributions to their families and the local economy through remittances… providing much-needed foreign exchange.”
“The expansion of cruise tourism in Jamaica represents a significant opportunity to drive the resurgence of the tourism industry, create job opportunities, and contribute to our country’s economic growth.” Bartlett stated, “We remain committed to providing world-class experiences to all of our visitors and ensuring that Jamaica remains a top tourist destination.” (https://thecaribbeannewsnow.com/jamaica-cruise-industry-rebounding-strongly/)
