Antigua Cruise Port Launches $40 Million Upland Development Project. Photo by Wayne Mariette

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The long-awaited construction of the Antigua Cruise Port’s Upland Development Project is officially set to begin.

Yesterday, a ceremonial sod-turning event began the ambitious $40 million expansion.

This project aims to establish a modern waterfront day club with swimming pools, various local food and beverage options, and up to 100 retail spaces designed for local entrepreneurs.

It will be accessible to cruise passengers, visitors, and locals.

Gasper George, the General Manager of Antigua Cruise Ports, says the project is a testament to the country’s unwavering commitment to enhancing its appeal as a premiere cruise tourism destination.

“…the project is to offer both our cruise visitors and the Antiguan community a harmonious blend of social and economic opportunities,” he said

The newly appointed GM said the aim is to create a new vibrant environment by integrating the public spaces in St John’s and seamlessly connecting the new fifth birth with the existing one.

Meanwhile, Mehmet Kutman, the CEO and Chairman of Global Ports Holding, expressed a strong commitment from Port Holdings Ltd., the owners of Antigua Cruise Port.

He said, the aim is to boost the number of cruise passengers visiting Antigua and Barbuda from the current 800,000 to 1.2 million within the next five years.

Kutman announced these plans while discussing the expansion of GPH’s influence in the region, which includes the recent acquisition of a cruise port in Puerto Rico and ongoing negotiations to secure additional ports in Mexico and California.

He emphasized that their objective is to draw in approximately 100,000 cruise passengers annually over the next five years, capitalizing on the unique attractions of Antigua and Barbuda.

Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez also took the stage, expressing his appreciation for the government’s strategic partnership with GPH and highlighting the numerous benefits of this collaboration.

He praised GPH for its commitment to fulfilling the terms of the signed agreement while recalling that the Opposition United Progressive Party had voiced strong objections to the initiative, claiming that the ABLP government was essentially relinquishing control of the country’s port.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne delivered the keynote address said the partnership between GPH and the government has been lucrative and continues to bring tremendous benefits to the twin island nation

The Prime Minister highlighted that the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association had categorically rejected any proposal to raise the head-tax for cruise passengers.

This stance was particularly frustrating for him, as Antigua and Barbuda had invested upwards of $300 million to enhance their port facilities to cater to cruise ships, yet they consistently faced financial losses each year.

However, the partnership with GPH has enabled the government to clear a lingering loan of USD 21 million from a local bank consortium and generate approximately $3 million annually from GPH, with an additional $3 million allocated for Solid Waste management.

He emphasized that this new arrangement is significantly better than receiving nothing.

Additionally, regarding the expected number of cruise passengers for the next five years, PM Browne expressed to the GPH Chairman that he believes there’s potential for improvement.

“I expect you to bring in 2 million passengers over the next five years, and I am confident that you can achieve this,” he stated.