By Devon Evans, Gleaner WriterOCHO RIOS, St. Ann:
JAMAICA'S TOURISM product achieved an important milestone
yesterday when cruise ship arrivals surpassed the one million mark for the first time in the history of the industry.
The one-millionth visitor, Orest Olchowyj and his wife Maria, arrived at the Ocho Rios Cruise Ship Pier in St. Ann yesterday on board the Mariner of the Seas to a royal welcome. They were showered with gifts and commendations from the host of officials, including Government ministers who were present.
Cheers went up from the gathering of dignitaries and members of the press when the Olchowyjs, escorted by Jamaica Tourist Board Cruise Shipping Co-ordinator Sharon Williams, emerged from the crowd of disembarking visitors to a warm handshake from Custos of St. Ann Radcliffe Walters.
Speaking in an interview with The Gleaner shortly after being officially welcomed, Orest said, "It is very overwhelming, we never thought all this was going to happen to us. It's very overwhelming."
The Olchowyjs, who hail from Chicago in the United States, work in the financial sector in that country and were on their sixth cruise to Jamaica.
GIFTS
Among the gifts they received were a return trip courtesy of Air Jamaica, a free vacation at the San Souci Resort in Ocho Rios, lunch at Evita's Italian Restaurant, a swim with the dolphins at Dolphin Cove and a US$2,000 gift voucher from the Inbond Merchants Association of Jamaica.
At an official ceremony later on board the ship, Minister Robert Pickersgill, who has responsibility for the Port Authority of Jamaica, said "We are greatly encouraged by an event like this which we consider to be an important milestone in Jamaica's history."
He said the event was the result of the millions of dollars the Government had invested in the tourism industry, especially its cruise shipping facilities.
Last year Jamaica recorded approximately 890,000 cruise ship visitors and projections for this year indicate that the country will receive some 1.1 million cruise visitors.
The achievement of the one-millionth visitor yesterday coincided with the inaugural visit of the Mariner of the Seas, which is the newest of the Royal Caribbean International Voyager class vessels and largest cruise ship now sailing out of Cape Canaveral in Florida.
The ship is on its maiden voyage and brought in 3,274 passengers and a crew of 1,247, of which 200 are Caribbean nationals.
Captain of the vessel, Johnny Faevelen, said the ship will be making fortnightly calls to Ocho Rios for at least one year.
