THE EDITOR, Sir:
TOURISM OFFICIALS have been boasting recently of the increase in cruise ship visits to our island and the positive impact that this will have on the economy. Although this is being looked at as an achievement by many, I think that it could be constructive to compare our cruise ship numbers with one of our closest Caribbean neighbours the Cayman Islands.
At present, Grand Cayman is receiving an average of three to five cruise ships every day and have had this year (2003) as many as nine in a single day. There are so many visitors that the government has had to close a section of the main roadway in Georgetown to vehicular traffic on certain days as there are as many as 15,000 tourists browsing through the duty-free shops and sightseeing.
What exactly makes Grand Cayman a more attractive port of call than Ocho Rios or Montego Bay? They do not at present even have a pier and passengers have to be ferried by small boats to shore. There certainly is far more to see and do in Jamaica than there. The shopping isn't that much different in terms of available craft and other touristy items. It's much more expensive I have paid as much as US$9 for a beer on the beach. So why do the cruise lines seem to prefer Cayman?
The main difference that I have observed is a total lack of harassment of any kind and an environment that is clean and safe.
COMPETITORS
It is always instructive to compare one's position with competitors in any market. However pleased our tourism officials may be with their progress to date, it is a fact that there has been an overall increase in cruise ship business world-wide in recent years (the 9/11 experience apart). The way I see it, if Cayman can get nine ships in one day, why can't we have a dozen? The issue is not whether we are getting 4 ships per day instead of 2 or 3, the market is getting larger and it seems that our market share is getting smaller.
I am, etc.,
A. UPSTONE
aupstone@hotmail.com
Waterloo Terrace
Kingston
Via Go-Jamaica
