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The Antigua Cruise Port, has been nominated for two awards for its work in the cruise industry.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who disclosed that the norminations recognizes the professionalism and overall performance of ACP over the past twelve months, amidst the continued growth in cruise passenger arrivals in Antigua and Barbuda.
The prime minister reflected on the initial opposition faced when the government decided to have Global Ports operate the St. John’s Harbour and all its cruise facilities.
Yet, with the impressive performance of the cruise sector in the past six months, Antigua and Barbuda is poised to set a new record for cruise passenger arrivals in 2024, providing confirmation to him that the decision was the right one.
The prime minister emphasized that the rise in arrivals is attributed to the decision to engage Global Ports, despite the initial lack of popularity, as they have enhanced the destination and boosted traffic and revenues, leading to the receipt of two awards.
He highlighted Global Ports’ strong connections with major cruise lines globally, and announced their plans to develop the infrastructure for home-porting in St. John’s from October this year, with an expected increase in homeporting next year based on current bookings.
Additionally, the Ministry of Tourism shared statistical data showing a record-breaking May this year, with a 12% increase in air arrivals compared to the same period in 2019, the best year in tourism pre-COVID.
Cruise arrivals have also surged by 35%, and yachting is up by 34%.
With all these increases in cruise and tourist arrivals and revenues, the country is still in deplorable condition, especially it’s infrastructure, healthcare, and water supply.