TRELAWNY, Jamaica — Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett is projecting that cruise arrivals to Falmouth’s port should reach 1.5 million by 2021.

This, Bartlett sad, is in light of current plans to transform Falmouth into a premiere regional destination.

A media release from the Tourism Ministry said efforts to boost the number of cruise ships that call on the port of Falmouth are to play a pivotal role in achieving this goal.

“Falmouth has the capacity to become the largest distributor of cruise passengers in any given destination within the region,” Bartlett said in the release, noting that Falmouth boasts the largest cruise ship pier in the Caribbean.

The release also noted that with Falmouth currently hosting just under a million cruise passengers annually, the minister expects that number to grow.

Bartlett said, “The town’s role in the national growth programme is well defined” and that the number of calls on the port will be increased from once or twice per week to four days weekly.

 “In light of the goals we have set, by 2021 Falmouth is expected to contribute 1.5 million cruise passengers and be earning of US$180 million or J$ 2 billion from tourism spend in the town. This will entail increasing the average spend by each cruise passenger to US$120, up from the $90 now being spent, he added.

“The ministry has committed some $1.4 billion through the Tourism Enhancement Fund to transform Falmouth by 2018 and these transformational projects will bring more attractions to the town and enable greater expenditure by the visitors.”