BVI projected to receive nearly 800K cruise visitors this year
As the territory moves deeper into the 2023 tourism season, the BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) is projecting for the BVI to receive just under 800,000 cruise passenger arrivals this year.
If realised, this projection would effectively triple the number of cruise passengers the territory received last year.
“The 2023-2024 cruise booking season has surpassed the most recent seasons. In 2021 after the reopening of the ports, the BVIPA recorded 72,293 cruise passengers for July-December 2021. In 2022, a full year of cruising recorded 265,723 passengers and currently the estimated cruise passenger arrivals for 2023 is 793,000,” the BVIPA said in a statement this week.
Minister responsible for ports, Kye Rymer, similarly indicated late last year that the BVI is expected to earn some $75 million from cruise arrivals this season.
In the meantime, the BVIPA shared its predictions as a BVI delegation returned from the 2023 Seatrade Cruise Global conference held in Miami, Florida from March 27 to March 30.
The delegation comprised representatives from the BVIPA, the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park, the BVI Tourist Board, and local cruise industry partners.
“Our attendance at Seatrade Cruise Global 2023 allowed us to make new connections and improve on established ones. This helped to highlight areas of growth and improvement for us as a port and cruise destination. Based on interactions and feedback from partners, the Ports Authority is committed to setting goals that will utilise and strengthen the forward momentum that we have created through our partnerships with the FCCA and The Caribbean Village,” BVIPA Chairperson, Roxane Ritter-Herbert stated.
The Seatrade Cruise Global conference is described as the leading event for the global cruise industry, and brings together buyers and suppliers from 140 countries and more than 300 international journalists.
“The 2023-2024 cruise booking season has surpassed the most recent seasons. In 2021 after the reopening of the ports, the BVIPA recorded 72,293 cruise passengers for July-December 2021. In 2022, a full year of cruising recorded 265,723 passengers and currently the estimated cruise passenger arrivals for 2023 is 793,000,” the BVIPA said in a statement this week.
Minister responsible for ports, Kye Rymer, similarly indicated late last year that the BVI is expected to earn some $75 million from cruise arrivals this season.
In the meantime, the BVIPA shared its predictions as a BVI delegation returned from the 2023 Seatrade Cruise Global conference held in Miami, Florida from March 27 to March 30.
The delegation comprised representatives from the BVIPA, the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park, the BVI Tourist Board, and local cruise industry partners.
“Our attendance at Seatrade Cruise Global 2023 allowed us to make new connections and improve on established ones. This helped to highlight areas of growth and improvement for us as a port and cruise destination. Based on interactions and feedback from partners, the Ports Authority is committed to setting goals that will utilise and strengthen the forward momentum that we have created through our partnerships with the FCCA and The Caribbean Village,” BVIPA Chairperson, Roxane Ritter-Herbert stated.
The Seatrade Cruise Global conference is described as the leading event for the global cruise industry, and brings together buyers and suppliers from 140 countries and more than 300 international journalists.
