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MoBay firms suffer as cruise ship arrivals drop
Published: Wednesday | January 11, 2012
Mark Titus, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE MONTEGO Bay business community has lamented the closure of a number of commercial operations, which it has blamed on a decline in cruise ship arrivals to the Second City.
"Last year saw a decline of cruise ship arrivals in Montego Bay largely due to the restored Falmouth Pier and its consequent improved infrastructure and tourist attractions in that area," Davon Crump, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in an email response to queries from The Gleaner.
"We have, therefore, seen many tourist-related businesses having to close shop and, in some instances, relocate to other parishes. Our once-vibrant city centre in-bond district is now almost a ghost town."
Falmouth fallout
The Falmouth Pier officially opened in March 2011 and has since surpassed Ocho Rios and Montego Bay - in terms of curise ship visits.
According to a previous report, the cruise terminal landed almost 100,000 passengers and about 34,650 crew, generating in the region of US$8 million in passenger expenditure in the process.
The Falmouth Pier was developed through a partnership between the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and international cruise-shipping firm, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, which has projected some eight million visitors for the next 10 years.
Dr Lee Bailey, chairman of the Western Shipping Association, believes that while decision makers missed the mark, the situation can be corrected.
"One would have hoped that some arrangement would have been made to ease the exodus of the other vessels from the traditional ports," he suggested.
"People are looking for a level playing field ... at this point it is frustrating for businesses in both Montego Bay (St James) and Ocho Rios (St Ann)."
Neither vice-president for cruise shipping and marine operations at the PAJ, William Tatham, nor Dr Wykeham McNeill, new minister of tourism and entertainment, could be reached for comment up to press time.
However, data on the PAJ's website indicate that the once-popular ports of call in St Ann and St James have experienced a dip in cruise ship visits since Falmouth port became operational.
Arrival statistics
The statistical data show that between March and October last year, 51 cruise vessels docked at Montego Bay with 134,071 passengers embarking. Ocho Rios saw 57 with 225,498 visitors. The growing popularity of Falmouth saw 73 ships with a total of 309,663 tourists coming ashore.
However, Crump is optimistic that the second city of Montego Bay can regain its status as the premier cruise ship hub.
"One of the main focus of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the coming months will be to work along with the local cruise-shipping group and the relevant stakeholders in order to restore Montego Bay as the preferred port of call in the Caribbean," he added.
The Gleaner understands the schedule up to June 2012 does not show "much change in the pattern of the arrivals".
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...ews/news2.html
Published: Wednesday | January 11, 2012
Mark Titus, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE MONTEGO Bay business community has lamented the closure of a number of commercial operations, which it has blamed on a decline in cruise ship arrivals to the Second City.
"Last year saw a decline of cruise ship arrivals in Montego Bay largely due to the restored Falmouth Pier and its consequent improved infrastructure and tourist attractions in that area," Davon Crump, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in an email response to queries from The Gleaner.
"We have, therefore, seen many tourist-related businesses having to close shop and, in some instances, relocate to other parishes. Our once-vibrant city centre in-bond district is now almost a ghost town."
Falmouth fallout
The Falmouth Pier officially opened in March 2011 and has since surpassed Ocho Rios and Montego Bay - in terms of curise ship visits.
According to a previous report, the cruise terminal landed almost 100,000 passengers and about 34,650 crew, generating in the region of US$8 million in passenger expenditure in the process.
The Falmouth Pier was developed through a partnership between the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and international cruise-shipping firm, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, which has projected some eight million visitors for the next 10 years.
Dr Lee Bailey, chairman of the Western Shipping Association, believes that while decision makers missed the mark, the situation can be corrected.
"One would have hoped that some arrangement would have been made to ease the exodus of the other vessels from the traditional ports," he suggested.
"People are looking for a level playing field ... at this point it is frustrating for businesses in both Montego Bay (St James) and Ocho Rios (St Ann)."
Neither vice-president for cruise shipping and marine operations at the PAJ, William Tatham, nor Dr Wykeham McNeill, new minister of tourism and entertainment, could be reached for comment up to press time.
However, data on the PAJ's website indicate that the once-popular ports of call in St Ann and St James have experienced a dip in cruise ship visits since Falmouth port became operational.
Arrival statistics
The statistical data show that between March and October last year, 51 cruise vessels docked at Montego Bay with 134,071 passengers embarking. Ocho Rios saw 57 with 225,498 visitors. The growing popularity of Falmouth saw 73 ships with a total of 309,663 tourists coming ashore.
However, Crump is optimistic that the second city of Montego Bay can regain its status as the premier cruise ship hub.
"One of the main focus of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the coming months will be to work along with the local cruise-shipping group and the relevant stakeholders in order to restore Montego Bay as the preferred port of call in the Caribbean," he added.
The Gleaner understands the schedule up to June 2012 does not show "much change in the pattern of the arrivals".
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...ews/news2.html
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