Lewis expects busy December period for cruises to carry into 2022
Chief Executive Officer of the Cyril B Romney Tortola Pier Park (CBRTTP), Vance Lewis, said the December period has been the most successful in terms of cruise ships arrivals since the reopening of the local cruise industry back in October.
Lewis said the Christmas period proved the busiest for the Pier Park as they were seeing two ships almost every day. He said he expects this success to spill into the new year.
“Over 30 ships visited CBRTPP in December 2021 and more than that [is] scheduled for January 2022,” Vance Lewis said. “We are looking forward to more success in the 2022 season—more of the same that happened here in December,” Lewis said.
The CEO said the arrival of cruise ships plays a key part in the local economy and makes up most of the revenue that Pier Park tenants earn.
However, Lewis said he could not provide exact details how much success these tenants reaped from the uptick in business because of these cruise ship arrivals.
“We have not had a meeting with the tenants to know the exact level of business the ships have brought into the Pier Park for customers, but the observation of cruise passengers coming and going throughout the period indicates things are getting better,” Lewis stated.
During the first month of the cruise industry reopening, tenants had complained that cruise passengers were not being allowed to interact with businesses at the Pier Park. However, tenants had indicated that things had improved for them since then and more customers from the cruise ships have been stopping by the shops to browse and buy items.
In September of last year, Premier and Minister of Tourism Andrew Fahie explained that the Virgin Islands would have lost well in excess of $10 million in revenue if his government had not decided to reopen the local cruise industry this season.
“Over 30 ships visited CBRTPP in December 2021 and more than that [is] scheduled for January 2022,” Vance Lewis said. “We are looking forward to more success in the 2022 season—more of the same that happened here in December,” Lewis said.
The CEO said the arrival of cruise ships plays a key part in the local economy and makes up most of the revenue that Pier Park tenants earn.
However, Lewis said he could not provide exact details how much success these tenants reaped from the uptick in business because of these cruise ship arrivals.
“We have not had a meeting with the tenants to know the exact level of business the ships have brought into the Pier Park for customers, but the observation of cruise passengers coming and going throughout the period indicates things are getting better,” Lewis stated.
During the first month of the cruise industry reopening, tenants had complained that cruise passengers were not being allowed to interact with businesses at the Pier Park. However, tenants had indicated that things had improved for them since then and more customers from the cruise ships have been stopping by the shops to browse and buy items.
In September of last year, Premier and Minister of Tourism Andrew Fahie explained that the Virgin Islands would have lost well in excess of $10 million in revenue if his government had not decided to reopen the local cruise industry this season.
