Alliance needed for strong cruise industry

Barbados cannot stand alone as a cruise destination if its objective is to have a successful cruise tourism product.

Speaking at the opening of the Cruise Alliance of the Southern Caribbean Consultation held on Monday at the Barbados Hilton, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, noted that tourism players gathered in Barbados over the next two days would seek ways to leverage the assets of the Southern Caribbean in an effort to boost business to the region.

Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard
Sealy (right), in talks with Secretary General and CEO of the
Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Hugh Riley.

The aim, he said, is to collaborate with regional tourism partners to form “a working cruise alliance” in an effort to transform the cruise tourism landscape.

“This consultation is not about Barbados as a cruise destination; we are simply the hosts – a conduit for what I hope will be a binding, working cruise alliance,” he told those gathered at the Consultation, which attracted tourism partners from across the Caribbean, including the French and Dutch Caribbean, as well as officials and players in the local tourism sector.

“All of us here are cognisant of the fact that we cannot stand alone as a cruise destination if our objective is to have a successful cruise tourism product. We are all cognisant of the harsh economic climate in which we are obliged to operate. We are only too familiar with the growing numbers of destinations which have recognised tourism as a viable pathway to sustainable growth of their economies. Many of these destinations are easily accessed by our traditional cruise tourism source markets,” he said.

“Our call to action therefore is for us to put our heads together to craft something that is compelling; a series of Southern Caribbean itineraries that will make coming this far south worth the cruisers’ while. Competition is great, the economic conditions are not favourable, but we need to be aware of the fierce urgency of now and not be found wanting when our routes are no longer seen as profitable to the cruise lines,” Sealy further remarked.

Noting that “there is something very compelling about our several stories” and that cruise itineraries could evolve as a consequence to tell that story, Sealy stressed that every effort was made to bring together some of the best minds in the industry to share their views and experiences, to ensure the crafting of a strategic path, for marketing the Southern Caribbean region as a new destination for cruisers.

“Our aim is to build a stronger, more competitive identity for participating destinations, through a clearly articulated sense of common purpose, harmonized promotion and distinctive marketing strategies,” added.

“These objectives will be sealed by the signature in this forum of a memorandum of understanding, which clearly outlines the commitment of all our countries to this initiative and our belief in the survival of a unique Southern Caribbean Cruise Brand,” the minister pointed out.

Sealy also observed that in forming the alliance, tourism players will collaborate with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), headed by Secretary General Hugh Riley, to ensure that the goals of the alliance line up with the objectives of that organisation for the region. (RSM)