ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – AS the Federation prepares to become a new homeport destination for P&O Cruises, tourism officials say groundwork is already being laid to position St. Kitts and Nevis for the opportunity.
The latest push came during the recently concluded 44th Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Marketplace in Antigua and Barbuda, where officials from both islands met with buyers, strengthened existing partnerships, and explored new business opportunities.
Tourism representatives also used the event to promote the destination to regional and international media, highlighting current tourism offerings, visitor statistics, and plans for the upcoming year.
Chief Executive Officer of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, Kelly Fontenelle, spoke with reporters on the sidelines of the meeting about the anticipated benefits of the homeporting initiative.
“This is a big plus for St. Kitts to become a homeport destination for cruises. And for us, this is going to be a scouting opportunity,” she said.
Fontenelle explained that once the necessary terminal infrastructure is completed, the Federation could begin attracting additional cruise lines interested in operating homeport services from St. Kitts. “...this gives us the opportunity to go out and solicit other cruise lines to do homeporting in St. Kitts,” she explained. “The commercial one where fly [in], spend a couple of days on the island, and then hop on their cruise.”
She added that the initiative could also create new economic opportunities for local businesses. Speaking on how the agreement came together, Fontenelle noted that officials from the cruise line developed a strong interest in St. Kitts after visiting the island several years ago.
“We were quite lucky that when the president of P&O Cruises came to St. Kitts a few years ago, he fell in love with the island, which is not a surprise,” she said. “He fell in love with the island and felt like it was the perfect destination for homeporting.”
She pointed to the island’s close proximity between the airport and cruise port as one of the major advantages. “We are very close from the airport to the cruise port, and that’s a big plus for them. And the clients will just take at least 10 minutes from one area to the next,” Fontenelle explained.
According to the tourism executive, the cruise line approached St. Kitts directly after recognizing its potential as a homeport destination. “They were the ones who came to us and let us know that we were a perfect fit for homeporting,” she added.
Fontenelle also highlighted the Federation’s historical and cultural ties with the United Kingdom, noting that these links continue to support the destination’s appeal within the UK market.
She noted that the destination has also been aggressively marketed within the UK, supported by airlift from British Airways.
The CEO believes the partnership with P&O Cruises will further increase the Federation’s visibility in the British market.
Fontenelle confirmed that while homeporting operations have not officially started, cruise packages are already available for purchase through P&O Cruises’ “fly-cruise” model.
The cruises are expected to operate on a seven-night itinerary, and chartered flights will eventually be used specifically for cruise passengers.
