A breath of life will return to the nation’s capital for many businesses and it couldn’t come any sooner.
Grand Turk’s economy has been suffering as a result of the recent Cruise ship cancellations due to an outbreak of gastroenteritis at the cruise port, which is owned by the Carnival Corporation.
Here’s Damen Boviewith details.
The cruise port has been hosting six to eight ship arrivals per week. The ships each carry between 2,500 and 3,500 passengers and it is believed that 90 percent of the passengers disembark the ship and visit the welcome centre. Approximately 20 percent of the passengers take taxis to visit other sites on the capital island.
But it has been three weeks since cruise ships have cancelled through fear of passengers disembarking on the island, contracting the virus, although the health department and tourist board have issued press releases describing their efforts in attempting to isolate and contain the outbreak which is now under control.
The TCI government relies on Carnival’s head tax to help meet its budgetary obligations with over $3 million in annual receipts coming from passengers arrivals. It is estimated that the economic impact for Grand Turk is some $250,000 per day in activity.
The cruise port has been hosting six to eight ship arrivals per week. The ships each carry between 2,500 and 3,500 passengers and it is believed that 90 percent of the passengers disembark the ship and visit the welcome centre. Approximately 20 percent of the passengers take taxis to visit other sites on the capital island.
But in a press release today, the Turks & Caicos Tourist Board is pleased to announce that cruise ship calls to the Grand Turk Cruise Center will commence on April 8th, 2013The Board which has been working in close collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders as well as the local public health department is confident that all measures have been taken to ensure the health and safety of our guests.
The cruise sector which accounts for a majority of visitors to the Turks & Caicos Islands is a vital cog in the tourism industry of Grand Turk and the Board is cognizant of the impact that the cancellation of cruise ship visits may have exerted on the businesses and residents of the Island.
Commenting, Mr. Ralph Higgs, Director of the Turks & Caicos Tourist Board, said “Throughout this situation, we continued an open dialogue with the most senior executives involved in the ports operation. We understand the severity of the impact of the cancellation of cruise ship visits not only to the local business community of Grand Turk but to those guests who have selected to visit our shores via cruise line. Moving forward, the Government feels confident that all the appropriate measures are in place and that Grand Turk will continue to provide the vacation opportunity of a lifetime to our visiting guests.”
Carnival Corporation has faced a number of unfortunate incidents over the past two years. In December 2011, the Costa Concordia capsized in the Mediterranean, while just a few months ago an engine failure resulted in one its cruise ships losing all power in the Gulf of Mexico. Carnival has a number of ports of call throughout the Caribbean and is developing attractions in the Dominican Republic; however, the Grand Turk cruise centre has enjoyed a steady increase over the years since its opening in 2004.
This is Damen Boviefor RTC News.
