The Ministry of Tourism is actively exploring various solutions to address the escalating issue of traffic congestion affecting the transportation of tourists to and from cruise ships.

Charles Max Fernandez, the Tourism Minister, has disclosed that discussions are underway with the taxi association to potentially introduce water-taxi services for cruise ship passengers.

This initiative is crucial as it will grant the taxi association and its members priority in obtaining permits to operate these water taxis.

Minister Fernandez emphasized the significance of this effort in alleviating the strain on roadways, particularly with the expected surge in the number of cruise ship passengers and other tourists visiting the country in the foreseeable future.

His remarks were made during the Antigua Cruise Port Connect Conference held at the Sir John E. St. Luce Conference Centre.

The minister highlighted the growing challenge posed by the increasing number of vehicles on the roads, leading to traffic jams that hinder taxi operators’ timely access to and from the cruise port.

In response to this issue, Minister Fernandez revealed ongoing discussions with the University of the West Indies FIC to explore the potential use of Artificial Intelligence to address the problem.

Recognizing the critical impact of traffic congestion on the tourism industry, Minister Fernandez stressed the government’s commitment to finding effective solutions.

He expressed a desire to avoid scenarios observed in other countries where residents protest against visitors, emphasizing the importance of managing cruise tourism in a responsible manner.

As part of this effort, collaboration with GPH is being considered to potentially implement restrictions on vehicle movement during specific hours on special days in and around the city.