Antigua and Barbuda’s Cruise Tourism industry is experiencing steady growth, and this was the main topic of discussion at the recently concluded Seatrade Cruise Global 2024 event in South Beach, Miami.

Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez led the delegation, which was accompanied by other top tourism industry officials.

The event attracted multiple cruise lines and marketing agencies who are optimistic about the future of the cruise business in Antigua.

According to the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), the number of passengers has increased significantly to 849,632 in 2024, compared to 755,866 registered in the 2019 pre-COVID year.

This increase has been attributed to completing the 5th berth, which has accommodated up to two vessels at once on busy cruise ship days.

Even more exciting is that this growth is expected to continue, with Marella Cruises already pre-empting a 20% increase in itineraries for the upcoming 2024/2025 winter season.

Their customer satisfaction survey results show that Antigua and Barbuda is trending in the top 5 of their featured destinations.

Other cruise lines such as MSC, Holland America, and Virgin Voyages are equally excited about the growth of their itineraries for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 seasons.

Michelle Paige, CEO of the FCCA, which includes Carnival Corporation PLC, Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian, MSC, and Disney, among others, praised the Taxi Associations in Antigua for being among the best in the region.

Plans are already underway to host them at the upcoming Transportation Service Providers Conference in St. Maarten, which will be held from October 21st to 24th, 2024.

According to Miss Paige, “taxi drivers make or break your product, and it is essential that you provide them with the tools necessary to improve their skills.”

The team hosted dozens of meetings focused on creating and maintaining partnerships, addressing infrastructure requirements, and discussing itinerary inclusion.

Other local partners who took advantage of the opportunity to be part of the team Antigua and Barbuda’s efforts to increase its business from the sector included Bryson’s Shipping and Insurance, The Rendezvous Company Antigua, and Rum Runners Restaurant and Bar.

The Seatrade Cruise Global is the world’s largest event for cruise line executives and suppliers of cruise services.

This year’s event attracted over 11,000 attendees, 600+ exhibitors, 2.7K+ Cruise line executives, and over 120 countries represented.