Bahamas News

The Bahamas is said to be losing big with its cruise ship passengers as figures so far for the year show marked declines in arrivals.

Speaking at a reception for the platinum members of various cruise lines at Fort Charlotte yesterday, Director of Cruise Development for the Ministry of Tourism Carla Stuart said the numbers are looking slim for the cruise ship industry as the world’s economy continues to experience major downfalls.

“This far the figures appear to be slightly down,” she said. “[It’s] probably about six percent, between six to eight percent, but we don’t have the overall figures for the years yet, but we’re very hopeful for this year. We realise that given the global economy, things are turning right now and we should anticipate a degree of decline, but we’re still doing everything we can to ensure that we minimize any declines.”

Stuart said right now The Ministry of Tourism is working very closely with the various cruise lines to ensure that they do all they can to help the cruise ship industry rebound. She said the cruise lines are doing a good job in ensuring that their cruise ships sail with a full load, a move she says bodes well for The Bahamas. Stuart added that while the cruise lines are doing their part to help the business, Bahamians must also pitch in to get the job done.

“The primary thing for us is to ensure that we have a product that the cruise passengers like and continue to tell the cruise line executives that this is where they want to come.”

But President of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Michele Paige said she thinks she knows just why The Bahamas’ cruise ship industry might be experiencing this decline. She said one of the top reasons is that Bahamians aren’t doing what Stuart suggested, in making sure that the product is something the passengers will like.

“You have to understand that when cruise passengers come off a ship they want options,” Paige explained. “They want things to do during the day and if you want the ships to stay later, they want things to do during the night. You have to motivate them to say it’s better in The Bahamas and when you say its better in The Bahamas, you have to mean it and you have to deliver it.”

Paige added that for too long cruise ship passengers have complained about the lack of things to do when they get off the ships, adding that The Bahamas must act fast if it wants to continue being a top tourist destination. The FCCA president said the cruise industry needs to work more diligently with The Bahamas to ensure that there are more tours and other activities for the passengers to take part in, in a bid to keep them interested and to keep them coming back. She added that the figures right now do not show favourably for The Bahamas.

“Historically, less people actually go on tours in The Bahamas than any other place that we bring passengers to,” Paige said. “Historically there’s only about 30 percent of our passengers that go on tour in The Bahamas where it’s as much as 70 percent other places and an average of 50 percent. So the Bahamas is losing an opportunity. But we are working very diligently with your minister to ensure that the people of The Bahamas motivate themselves to be able to offer the cruise passenger more things to do when they’re in The Bahamas.”

Paige said since The Bahamas is a very different place from what it was 30 years ago, the government must act fast to ensure that they do not lose any of their visitors.

Source: Bahama Journal