POINT BLANCHE:--- With increasing competition in the region, Port St. Maarten continues to move forward with re-inventing itself by looking at ways and means to stay ahead of the others.
Port St. Maarten according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is expected to surpass St. Thomas (2013 cruise passengers 1,886,647) for the first time ever in the number of cruise passengers. At year-end for the first time ever, Port St. Maarten is expected to hit the two million mark, a significant development in the cruise history of the country.
In 2013 the country received 1,785.670 cruise passengers, 32,455 passengers more than in 2012. Cruise passengers arrived on 631 vessel calls.
From the period January 2014 to July 2014, Port St. Maarten for the first time received 1.2 million cruise passengers via 442 ships calls. For the three months heading into the off season (May, June and July 2014) the port received 337,023 cruise passengers or 76,850 more than for the same period in 2013 which saw 260,173.
July 2014 saw 119,121 cruise passengers call at the port, a 23,437 increase over the same month in 2013 which had 95,684.
Port authorities have seen vessels with full capacity in the past several months. As an example, the Allure of the Seas which would normally come in with 5400 passengers has been docking with 6300 +/-.
Meetings were recently held with the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Carnival Cruise Lines Arnold Donald. The delegation included Port St. Maarten CEO Mark Mingo and Member of Parliament (MP) and former Minister who was shareholder representative for the port group of companies Hon. Theo Heyliger.
MP Heyliger was included due to his years of experience in tourism and cruise as well as his personal business contacts that he has built up over the years with cruise executives. MP Heyliger also oversaw the expansion of the country's cruise facilities and the re-invention of Philipsburg and its environs as well as the construction of the beach promenade which has become a bee-hive of small and medium size business activity.
"This meeting was essential to discuss how we are moving forward together as partners. Carnival Cruise Lines was one of the financial contributors into the construction of Cruise Pier 2.
"Port St. Maarten has to strategically remain ahead in order to main the level of economic activity that is generated by the cruise industry on the island. A considerable part of our country's Gross Domestic Product comes from the cruise sector. We don't want to see a drop in economic activity, but an increase or maintain what we have built.
"With the destination on track to surpass St. Thomas in cruise arrivals at the end of the year, barring any inclement weather, this will be a milestone for our country. We need to make the right investments in order to maintain our position, because numbers could also rapidly decline as well. We need to further develop our on-shore excursions in a sustainable manner.
"Our country needs a clear destination strategy that brings a good balance between cruise and stay over visitors. Investors at the end of the day look at stability and growth. We need all hands on deck to continue the cruise St. Maarten success story.
"Other destinations want part of the business and this is one of the reasons behind hosting the Florida Caribbean Cruise Conference and Trade Show under the theme, 'Reinventing Cruise St. Maarten,'" CEO Mark Mingo said on Sunday.
Tortola, British Virgin Islands has a Cruise Pier Development Project that once approved and constructed will lead to additional business. St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands are also considering the further development of cruise facilities on that island.
Carnival Cruise Lines recently signed a letter of content to develop a new port on an isolated Haitian barrier island. The investment on Ile de la Tortue will be US$70 million.
