Monique Hepburn, News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:
PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Horace Peterkin, is confident that Montego Bay will not suffer greatly from the fallout in visitor arrivals because of the absence of the Star Princess cruise liner, which had another five scheduled stops to the island for the remainder of the winter season.
On March 23, about 4:30 a.m., while destined for Montego Bay, a fire broke out on the cruise liner which had more than 2,400 passengers on board. In what was hailed as a quick response, the city's major tourism players, led by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the JHTA, rallied around Carnival's officials and accommodated passengers who were affected by the crisis.
NOT GREATLY AFFECTED
"The Star Princess had five more calls remaining for the rest of the year," Mr. Peterkin told The Gleaner Tuesday. "It is a seasonal cruise and it was just for the winter season, so we will not be greatly affected."
It is estimated that 80 per cent of cruise passengers disembark in Montego Bay and spend about US$84 (J$5,460) each. Overall, the ship would take approximately US$175,000 per stop or J$12 million each week.
"Luckily we have the Freedom of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world that will come on June 8. It will bring 4,500 each week for the rest of the year," Mr. Peterkin commented. "It is a huge replacement."
The JHTA president noted that, if the same projections are applied to the Freedom of the Seas, some 3,600 of its passengers will spend an estimated US$302,000, or approximately J$20 million, per stop.
"Tourism earnings will be very promising," he said. "Give and take mitigating factors such as the weather, we will stand to earn over a 48-week period just under $1 billion."
Mr. Peterkin further commented that, given the manner in which the Jamaican authorities dealt with the Star Princess crisis, he is confident that the Carnival Cruise line will be looking to expand cruise ship calls to the destination in the future.
