By Nagra Plunkett, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
DESPITE A reduction in the number of cruise ship arrivals to the Caribbean over the last 10 years, the region remains the premier destination for that industry.
Michele Paige, president of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), said that in 2003 cruise lines committed 46.6 per cent of their overall 9.6 million travellers to the region, an increase over five years ago.
However, the figure is still less than it was in 1989, when cruise ship arrivals in the Caribbean stood at the top of the market with a high of 56 per cent.
"There are three different reasons (for the reduction); the growth of other markets, Alaska and Mediterranean were booming. "In addition to that it was during the time when a lot of the Caribbean destinations were mulling over whether the cruise industry was paying its fair share," she explained. "The third was that the passengers themselves wanted to go into new markets."
The FCCA president was speaking yesterday at the Rotary International Conference luncheon at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Rose Hall, St. James.
She said that even though business is doing well, more can be gained from a partnership between regional leaders to work together to achieve financial returns from the cruise industry in the Caribbean.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
"An economic impact study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated that for 2001, cruise activity in the Caribbean accounted for direct expenditures of nearly US$6 billion," Mrs. Paige noted. "This tremendous impact originates from direct expenditures from cruise passengers, cruise lines and cruise line employees."
She mentioned that industry estimates indicate that in the United States, cruise lines were spending in excess of US$400 million annually on print, broadcast and collateral material selling Caribbean cruises.
She highlighted the fact that "cruise ship passengers do come back as land-based vacationers".
The FCCA is a trade association created in 1972 to exchange views on topics relating to tourism development, ports, safety, security, legislation and other cruise industry issues. The association represents 11 member lines with more than 100 vessels sailing in Florida, the Caribbean and Mexican waters.
