Regardless of being a comparatively small and easy cruise port, George City, Grand Cayman, has made its mark within the cruise trade – with the three terminals welcoming round 2.1 million cruise friends yearly.
That stated, the capital of the Cayman Islands is seeking to additional its native cruise tourism trade by incentivizing the cruise ships to remain within the Western Caribbean port longer – resembling by encouraging in a single day visits.
To be able to do that, Minister of Tourism and Ports Kenneth Bryan is working to alter the foundations in order that cruise ships can function their onboard casinos whereas in Caymanian waters, which is presently unlawful. The truth is, all types of playing basically are unlawful on the islands.
Nonetheless, the ship casinos are a key supply of revenue for the cruise strains – so permitting these services to function whereas in port may doubtlessly result in prolonged stays within the port.
“I personally suppose I can persuade my colleagues to help that. I don’t suppose that might be too controversial. However we’d solely try this if there was a real profit in it for the Cayman Islands,” Minister Bryan instructed Cayman Compass.
After all, the rule change would include a few situations, that are designed to profit the native economic system and wellbeing of the locals.
First, the cruise ships wouldn’t be allowed to open their casinos till a sure time within the afternoon or night to verify passengers have had alternative to discover the port earlier than they return to their slot machines and tabletop video games.
Second, solely cruise passengers could be permitted to participate in playing – and the actions should keep onboard. Cayman Island residents wouldn’t be allowed to board the ship to benefit from the on line casino and friends couldn’t take their bets shoreside.
Enhancements in Infrastructure
Cruise tourism is extremely essential to the economic system of the Cayman Islands – with finance and tourism generally known as the 2 pillars of the Cayman Islands economic system.
Nonetheless, officers are seeing indicators that the most well-liked cruise port of George City, Grand Cayman, is beginning to endure as a result of it doesn’t presently have a pier.
As a substitute, as much as 4 ships can anchor within the port at a time and ferry their friends into city through tender boats – which solely takes about 5 minutes every method.
Nonetheless, a number of the mainstream manufacturers, together with Carnival and Royal Caribbean, have so far refused to tender their bigger vessels – making Georgetown inaccessible for these mega-ships.
The truth is, a latest report from the native Economics and Statistics Workplace discovered that the Cayman Islands misplaced as much as 419,026 cruise friends in 2024 largely as a result of there isn’t a pier for larger ships to dock at.
Minister Bryan warned that if one thing doesn’t change, “the ripple results of a decline in cruise tourism could be felt proper throughout our economic system.”
Nonetheless, it does appear that change is afoot. Within the first sitting of the 2024-2025 season, the Parliament of the Cayman Islands unanimously voted to maneuver ahead with a cruise berthing referendum that will probably be voted on as a part of the 2025 common election subsequent yr.
Learn Additionally: Grand Cayman Cruise Port – Terminals, Tendering and Getting Round
“No matter authorities is elected in 2025 can have the mandate to construct pier infrastructure, and to discover no matter enhancements they imagine the nation wants and our neighborhood will help,” stated former legislator Ellio Solomon on behalf of the Affiliation for the Development of Cruise Tourism.
The referendum comes after officers introduced a $240 million renovation was within the works for George City – which the constructing of the brand new pier may doubtlessly be a part of.
If a brand new pier and playing in port turn out to be a actuality, there isn’t a telling how a lot development the native tourism trade may expertise.
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