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Explorer of the Sea', the world's largest cruise ship, on its inaugural docking in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, last April. The ship can carry a total of 3,844 passengers.
THE CRUISE shipping industry is set to create history when it welcomes its one millionth visitor to the island in November.
"We are about to have our record year. We should finish the year in the region of 1,050,000 to 1,100,000. We are very, very pleased with the year we have had," said William Tatham, vice-president of cruise shipping and marina operations in Jamaica.
He noted that cruise passengers to the island have never reached a million before.
AGGRESSIVE MARKETING
Earlier this year, an aggressive marketing strategy was put in place by the Port Authority of Jamaica to promote Jamaica's ports.
In addition, emphasis was placed on the new Port Antonio Marina as a world-class cruise shipping and yachting destination, at the 19th annual Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention and Trade show in Miami.
But even as Jamaica looks to welcome a record number of visitors, all may not be well in the regional cruise shipping sector.
Last week, Lelei Lelalulu, head of the Washington-based Counterpart International that promotes sustainable tourism development warned Jamaica and other Caribbean islands that they will have to bond together to protect itself from "unreasonable demands" being made by the overseas cruise shipping industry.
Mr. Tatham, however, does not feel the overseas cruise shipping industry is being unreasonable.
"They haven't made demands. They haven't said to us, we must have a tax of certain amount. What they do is an analysis and if they decide a destination is not worth the price on it then they abort it," he said. "My understanding is that the Ministry of Tourism and Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) are proposing to implement a user tax or fee for the region. Basically, they plan to charge the cruise line across the board for using the Caribbean. It will go into a general fund to market the Caribbean and a number of other projects."
PORT DEVELOPMENT
As it concerns Jamaica, Mr. Tatham noted negotiations are now being wrapped up with the cruise lines on the fees that they will pay in the coming years as part of the port's development.
The Port Authority of Jamaica has spent in excess of US$200,000 to purchase and install X-ray machines at the Montego Bay and Ocho Rios ports primarily to detect possible terrorist attacks.
These security measures came after Mr. Tatham had discussions with the cruise lines and the International Council of Cruise Lines, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the United States Coast Guard.
- H. W.
