Untapped potential in cruise ships says Tidco

GOVERNMENT is being urged  to set up a cruise tourism committee, if it wants to capitalise on the burgeoning cruise ship industry. This was one of the findings contained in the Tourism and Industrial Development Company of TT ‘s (Tidco) recent cruise passenger profile report. Compiled by Tidco’s Economic intelligence unit (EIU), the report indicates that Americans represent the greatest proportion of cruise visitors to TT and the average expenditure per cruise visitor is US$42.25 ($253.54).

However while TT is rated highly with respect to hospitality, its rating with respect to cleanliness is poor — particularly with respect to Port-of-Spain, which many visitors have described as “dirty and crowded.” For this reason, Tidco’s EIU believes that a National Cruise Tourism Committee would be important to the overall development of a viable and profitable cruise ship industry in TT. This committee would comprise key stakeholders such as the Tourism Ministry, Port Authority of TT, Tour Operators Association, Taxi Drivers Association and Tidco. This committee would be charged with the implementation of several recommendations which have been recently advanced for the development of a local cruise ship industry in TT. The report further indicates that more than 80 percent of cruise visitors to TT are first time visitors. Most cruise passengers, on average 57 percent, belong to the over 55 years age group. However the EIU also observes that the proportion of cruise visitors to TT in the under 35 age group “is increasing and has more than doubled over the last three years.”

While the cruise ship industry was negatively impacted by the war in Iraq, widespread reports of anti-Americanism in several European nations and reports of viral diseases in certain destinations, it has made a significant comeback over the last two years, recording growth rates of eight and 12 percent in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Most of this growth was concentrated within the Caribbean and TT is being increasingly seen by many in the industry as a lucrative cruise ship destination. TT’s port services and facilities have received the most favourable assessment of all services investigated and some respondents have rated local port facilities as “the best in the Caribbean.”