St Kitts and Nevis: Two cruise ships named Aida Luna and Brittania graced the shores of St Kitts and Nevis on October 31, 2023. The vessels kickstarted the cruise season 2023/2024 in the country, bringing a chunk of passengers.
St Kitts and Nevis is at the helm once again as the cruise vessels are promising the inflow of economic opportunities for the nation.
Stakeholders in St Kitts and Nevis are expecting a resurgence in the economic growth and opportunities of the industry. It signifies the resuming of the tourism industry, magnifying local businesses and generation of employment opportunities for the local community.
Aida Luna is a sphinx-class cruise ship owned by a US-based carnival corporation and operated by AIDA Cruises. Britannia is a cruise ship of the P&O Cruises fleet.
Cruise tourism is an important source of revenue which is generated from tourist spending, port fees and dues. Demand for local goods and services increases, revitalising the market and generating employment.
The passengers and crew members also spend on the shore excursions, hospitality and exploring the island.
Foreign minister Denzil Llewellyn Douglas has also shown immense pleasure as Aida Luna and Britannia have influxed hundreds of visitors to the nation.
He also stated “We are expecting increases in economic benefits to all stakeholders involved in this industry. Let’s pray that this New Season will be incident-free and all will have an enjoyable time on our island, whether they go sea bathing, hiking or visiting our historical sites, that they’ll be encouraged to return with family and more friends.”
Henderson quoted “We have also witnessed an increase in luxury vessels, and the presence of such extravagance vessels symbolizes the greater spending power on the island, cementing our position as a major tourist destination.”
As per the tourism minister Masha Henderson, St Kitts and Nevis is expecting 342 cruise ships for this year’s tourism industry. St Kitts and Nevis is looking forward for a busy, productive and profiting season of the industry.
