Freedom of the Seas, the world's largest passenger ship, which visited Jamaica, in June 2006. Tourism interests in Ocho Rios say industry officials have not done enough to develop the cruise sector.- REUTERS

Garwin Davis, Gleaner Writer

OCHO RIOS, St. Ann:

Boasting a marine attraction far superior to anything in the Caribbean or anywhere in North America, Jamaica should be doing a lot better in cruise ship arrivals, several foreign-based tour company heads have observed.

In an interview with, The Gleaner at the Hard Rock Cafe, in Ocho Rios, on Saturday, the operators pointed to a visit they had earlier in the day to Dolphin Cove, describing it as nothing like we have ever experienced in our frequent trips to other Caribbean destinations.

"We would have thought that having an attraction of that quality, in addition to places such as the Hard Rock Caf and Dunn's River Falls, that Jamaica would be getting close to six ships per day," commented Andres Arias, head of the Shredd Tours and Communications Group, out of Deerfield Beach, Florida.

"A craft vendor told me earlier today that you guys are lucky sometimes to get two ships in port, despite having all these wonderful attractions," he continued.

Raul Neira, the company's vice-chairman, said it was beyond understanding that Jamaica could be on the same western Caribbean itinerary route as the Cayman Islands and is receiving so few ships.

Doing something wrong

"Cayman doesn't even have a pier, and yet they get sometimes up to nine ships per day," he said. Furthermore, they don't have half the attractions Jamaica has and certainlynothing of the quality of Dolphin Cove. Jamaica has to be doing something wrong why you are not getting you fair quota of vessels.

Arias said he was particularly impressed with the fact that the management of Dolphin Cove did not give special treatment to his group.

"Usually, when you go to places that rely a lot on tourism, you find that tour companies and their representatives are given special treatment, he said. What this tells me is that what you see from Dolphin Cove is what you get and we certainly will be promoting Ocho Rios and all these beautiful attractions when we get back home."

Sanju Chatani, owner of Hard Rock, said it was disheartening that persons from overseas can see what should have been obvious to the local authorities.

"We love to talk about how well we are doing in cruise shipping, but when you look at the numbers our island competitors have been getting you will see that we still have ways to go," he said.