WESTERN BUREAU - The once highly-critical Florida Caribbean Cruise Shipping Association (FCCSA) has lauded the government and the private sector for making the island more attractive to cruise ship passengers.

In the past, the FCCSA has complained about tourist harassment, the deficiencies in the ports of calls and attractions and generally complained that the island was not doing enough to improve its tourism product.

But over the last few years the government and private sector have been taking steps to correct those shortcomings.
Yesterday, FCCSA president Michele Paige told the Observer that she was very impressed with the improvements made.

"The satisfaction that Jamaica has been able to extend to the tourists is phenomenal and that has been expressed in the growth that you have received last year, and which is going to be duplicated this year and years to come," the FCCSA president predicted.

Paige was speaking with the Observer at the Good Hope Estate in Trelawny during a visit to the property by more than 70 executive members of the FCCSA, which included cruise line executives.

She cited improvements in the food, attractions, port facilities and incentives created by the government as some of the commendable work that has be done over the last few years.

Vice-president for the Caribbean and Atlantic Tour Operations of Princess Cruises Steve Neilson, whose company pulled one of their vessels from calling on Jamaica almost three years ago mainly because of tourism harassment and crime, also pointed to improvements in the island's tourism product.

"We feel that steps have been taken in improving and expanding the product and services; and the goodwill of the people of Jamaica has been going up," Neilson explained.
In recent years, he added, cruise ship passengers have been commenting favourably about the destination and many have indicated a desire to return to the island.

Last year, the Grand Princess - another vessel in the Princess Cruise fleet - returned to the island; and next year, according to Neilson, the Star Princess, which has a passenger capacity of 2,700, will make its inaugural call to the island.

Some of the work that is now paying off, according to junior tourism minister Dr Wykeham McNeill, included:

. the restructuring of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo);

. the transfer of the operations of cruise shipping to the Port Authority;

. a massive investment in infrastructure, which includes the North Coast Highway, Highway 2000, and the dualisation of the Howard Cooke Boulevard; and

. improvement works at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.

Last year, Jamaica experienced its best year ever in cruise ship arrivals when 491 cruise ships called at the island's ports, transporting 1, 124,918 visitors.

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