While certain cruise hot spots in Europe like Ibiza, Spain and Santorini, Greece are beginning to limit cruise ship arrivals to combat overtourism, sought-after destinations in the Caribbean are taking a different approach.
Caribbean island nations are celebrating the record-breaking cruise ship arrivals 2024 brought to their ports and the benefits cruise tourism brings to their communities.
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The Caribbean already holds the highest share of the global cruise market at more than 40% and demand continues to grow, creating new opportunities for both cruise lines and the Caribbean communities their cruise ships visit.
The Caribbean Tourism Organization recently pledged to strengthen partnerships with Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines to advance Caribbean tourism in ways that benefit local economies and communities.
To support continued cruise tourism growth, Caribbean destinations recognize that collaboration with cruise lines is essential, and so are investments in local infrastructure to accommodate the demand and support economic growth.
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St. Lucia celebrates cruise tourism growth
One of the Caribbean destinations energized by its cruise tourism growth, St. Lucia took to its Facebook page recently to celebrate record-breaking cruise ship arrivals to its Port Castries cruise port.
On Dec. 10, the Government of St. Lucia posted:
“Port Castries Welcomes 4 Ships in a Day: A Testament to Saint Lucia’s Record-Breaking Cruise Arrivals!
Port Castries is alive with energy as four cruise ships dock today, marking another milestone in Saint Lucia’s record-breaking cruise season! This success brings real benefits to ordinary Saint Lucians:
- Boosts Local Businesses: Vendors, artisans, and tour operators thrive as thousands of visitors explore and shop.
- Creates Jobs: More opportunities for taxi drivers, tour guides, and hospitality workers.
- Grows the Economy: Increased tourism revenue supports infrastructure, services, and communities.
Thanks to everyone working to make Saint Lucia a top destination.”
St. Lucia expects to welcome more cruise passengers than ever during its 2024-2025 cruise season, which runs from October through April. Saint Lucia Cruise Port anticipates that it will receive approximately 823,132 passengers aboard 459 calls, up from 614,980 passengers aboard 264 calls during the 2023-2024 season.
Related: Royal Caribbean stops sailings to 2 popular Caribbean ports
St. Lucia begins cruise port redevelopment project
To support even more cruise ship visits and enhance the cruise passenger experience in St. Lucia, the Government of St. Lucia has kicked off a cruise port redevelopment project in partnership with Global Ports Holding Plc (GPH). Once completed, St. Lucia expects cruise passenger volumes to increase to more than one million passengers per year.
GPH, which operates 26 ports in 14 countries across four continents, is collaborating with local leaders in St. Lucia to design and build new port infrastructure, enhance the existing port facilities, and create more opportunities for St. Lucians through cruise sector and destination development.
The demolition of Port Castries’ Customs and Excise Department Building marked the official start of the project in December. A timeline has not yet been released for construction of the new port facilities.
Project highlights include berth expansion to accommodate the world’s largest cruise ships, maximizing space for local vendors, improving traffic flow, and creating a more attractive passenger experience.
Related: Another Caribbean cruise destination raising port fees
The project aims to offer cruise passengers greater exposure to St. Lucian charm and heritage through expanded tourism offerings and more access to St. Lucian-made products and experiences. The port also pledges ongoing conversations with cruise lines to gather feedback and identify the needs of different cruise ships.
GPH is currently working on a project to upgrade the San Juan, Puerto Rico cruise port too. The company recently led Caribbean cruise port expansion and redevelopment projects in Antigua and Nassau, Bahamas. Plans are in the works for GPH to add a family-friendly water park to the Nassau Cruise Port in 2025.
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This story was originally published January 4, 2025 at 9:31 AM