Janet Silvera, Senior Tourism Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Local tourism interests fear Jamaica's cruise-ship capital, Ocho Rios, and tourism Mecca, Montego Bay, will feel the brunt of the reduction in cruise ships this summer as the liners change to Mediterranean and South American itineraries. The western Caribbean, which includes ports such as Grand Cayman and Cozumel, are all casualties of this latest move.

The Sunday Gleaner understands that Ocho Rios is estimating a fallout of nearly 30 per cent in visits by cruise ships, while Montego Bay stands to lose approximately 20 per cent of the cruise tourism, come next month.

"This summer will probably be the weakest since 1983, and when the cruise count falls like that, it becomes very challenging," Prem Mahtani, duty-free operator with shops in both tourist resorts discloses.

Rerouted into Europe

He explains that whereas ships such as Royal Caribbean's Voyager would make 26 calls per year, that has now been reduced by half, as the ships reroute their vessels into Europe. The loss of 50 per cent of the business of The Voyager translates into 3,200 passengers per call.

According to Mahtani, another Royal Caribbean liner - The Navigator - will also leave the island's shores, joining its sister ship, The Explorer, which pulled out two years ago.

Millions invested

The fallout comes at a time when Ocho Rios is on the cusp of unveiling another mega attraction - the Mystic Mountain - while Dolphin Cove has invested millions in the expansion of its plant, and while at least two shopping centres aimed at attracting the cruise-ship market are under construction.

"Thank God the Spanish hotels are coming in their numbers, because our numbers are lowering cruise wise, but the land-based visitors are increasing," comments Marilyn Burrowes, president of the Association of Jamaican Attractions Limited.

Still the fastest-growing category in the leisure-travel market, the cruise sector is forecasting that a record 12.8 million passengers will cruise in 2008, with 10.5 million originating in North America.

This represents a 1.6 per cent increase over 2007, but a slower pace in growth over the same period last year of 4.1 per cent.