JAMAICA'S CRUISE ship industry continues to record significant growth over last year, with more calls scheduled for Ocho Rios and Montego Bay this summer, than last summer.
A total of 85 calls were made in Ocho Rios, and 22 in Montego Bay, during the five-month period, May to September, 2002. Eighty-seven are booked for Ocho Rios, and 45 for Montego Bay during the same period this year, according to the chairman of the Ocho Rios Cruise Ship Association, businessman, Michael Belnavis.
The vessels carried just over 231,000 passengers to Ocho Rios during the period last year, and just over 52,000 to Montego Bay, Mr. Belnavis said. He expects these figures will be eclipsed this year.
CREDIBLE CLIMB
Mr. Belnavis attributes what he describes as "the continued credible climb" in the cruise ship statistics to two major components: "Stronger, more agg-ressive international marketing of the island by government and private sector tourism interests, and the country's improving international image."
Mr. Belnavis reported last month that Ocho Rios and Montego Bay saw an overall 46 per cent increases both in ship calls and passenger count for the first three months of this year, compared with the same period last year.
