BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH the local cruise industry seeing increasing numbers of passengers and port calls, a problem seems to be developing within the tourism sector in relation to stay over visitors.
According to Tourism officials, the number of stay over visitors has practically flat-lined over the past five years.
Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Lindsay Grant is looking to rectify that problem and increase the number of passengers coming to the island and staying for extended periods.
During a media interview, Minister Grant pointed out that he is not looking at the growth in the sector through the eyes of the cruise industry, but rather, in the stay over visitors which he noted provides a lot of revenue for the country.
“I’m looking at where we have a lot of work to do, and we have a lot of work to do in stay over visitors,” he said. “We have been flat for the past five years at 125,000 passengers [and] we need to move that needle upwards.”
The tourism sector is one of the most critical economic drivers for St. Kitts and Nevis’ economy.
Over the years, including under the former Minister of Tourism, Richard Skerritt, plans have been made to bolster the stay over tourists by increasing flights into the islands from North America and Europe.
Grant declared that his primary aim before leaving office in 2020, is that he grows the number of stay over visitors by “at least 50%”.
Efforts have been made to increase the Federation’s tourism footprint in major markets such as Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
“I want to, before I leave these hallowed offices, I have the privilege…to [have] the numbers be upwards of 200,000 passengers - that is my goal… and you know the money really is in stay overs. Cruise is money too, but the real money is in the stay overs.”
At a national stakeholders meeting held several months ago, it was highlighted that they local tourism sector was hard hit by a number of international factors.
Among these were the United States Presidential Election, which the local authorities were keeping a close watch, the uncertainty surrounding the Brexit and the drop in the value of the Pound Sterling.
Another challenge was the decrease in passenger arrivals from the Miami hub, a staple for the Federation’s tourism product.
However, a number of other areas opened up for the local industry with increase flights from Canada and other markets within the United States.
Grant said that the development of the Christophe Harbour Marina is significant because it generates the clientele in which the Ministry of Tourism and the St. Kitts Tourism Authority are looking to attract.
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