Arvia, Emerald Azzura homeports St John’s, brings 13,312 passengers in one day

Antigua and Barbuda: Two cruise ships Arvia and Emerald Azzura docked in Antigua Cruise Port for their homeporting operations on Saturday. With four vessels on the shores of St John’s, the cruise activities were buzzed by the arrival of 13,312 passengers and marked growth for the tourism sector. 

So far in 2024, the cruise sector has welcomed 806,111 passengers on the shores of St John’s and turned out to be recording numbers for Antigua and Barbuda. Visitors on homeporting of the cruise vessels explored local offerings showcased by the street vendors and other small businesses. 

Visitors Explored St John’s

The cruise passengers shopped around Heritage Quay shopping mall and celebrated the Christmas week with the sounds of steelpan music. Antigua Cruise Port is considered one of the most loved ports for tourists from across the globe where they seek to celebrate their vacations and festive occasions with their families and loved ones. 

With cruise arrivals, the hotel occupancy rate has recorded a significant hike and tourists with pre-packed tours offered business to the taxi operators and tour guides. They guided them to several hotspot places in St John’s where they explored the vibrant market options of Antigua and enhance their tourism experience for the visitors. 

Cruise Sector Predictions for 2024

According to the tourism ministry, Antigua and Barbuda is all set to welcome highest tourism year with 15% hike from 2019, which was considered record year for tourism arrivals. By the end of 2024, St John’s, VC Bird International Airport and Yacht port are all set to receive over 1.1 million tourists from across the globe. 

December was filled with Christmas vibes and other festive occasions and marked growth in their arrivals of the tourists from across the globe. Now, four cruise ships will contribute well towards their target to cross the mark of 1.1 million arrivals. 

Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez also projected over 900,000 arrivals from across the globe in 2025 with the help of large cruise ships. This will also help in the tourism growth of Antigua and Barbuda.