A delegation from the Caribbean Tourism Organi-zation (CTO) has held talks with officials from the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) on the repositioning of cruise ships from the region.
A statement issued by the Barbados-based CTO, said that the delegation, headed by its chairman and St Kitts and Nevis Tourism Minister, Ricky Skerritt, said the talks centred on tackling "the issue of the mass repositioning of cruise ships from the southern Caribbean in the summer months and to improve the overall competitiveness of the Caribbean for summer cruising".
The CTO has expressed concern over the continued massive loss of cruise business, particularly from the southern and eastern Caribbean, due to the seasonal repositioning of vessels from the Caribbean to other ports.
The region's tourism development agency says this practice results in significant economic loss to local businesses and economies during this prolonged period of economic slowdown.
"We ask that, together, we begin a new examination of the issues related to this concern, so that the Caribbean, especially those islands farther to the east and south, can become more competitive in the summer cruise business, without compromising the financial performance of the cruise lines," Skerritt said, adding that he hoped for a viable solution that would result in a win-win situation for the cruise lines and the Caribbean.
mutual understanding
The CTO statement said that the meeting last week also provided both sides an opportunity "to listen to each other's concerns and to explore ways to confront the situation in a manner that is mutually beneficial.
"Both sides agreed to a broad framework which includes conducting and sharing 'a substantial amount of information - gathering and research'.
They have also designated representatives from both teams to follow up on ideas related to marketing and product development, and to report on progress made when the group meets again at a proposed meeting in June," the statement said.
The cruise industry is a significant component of the region's tourism mix, and the Caribbean remains a highly desirable winter cruising destination.
In 2010, the region's cruise-passenger arrivals grew by six per cent, continuing the phenomenal growth experienced over the past four decades, with the numbers climbing from just over one million cruise visits in 1970 to over 20 million last year.
"CTO leaders want this strong consumer demand for the region in the cruise industry to be developed year round, with more summer business resulting," the statement said.
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