The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. officially opened the $122 million cruise port at the historic town of Falmouth on Tuesday, March 22, with the maiden call of 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Bruce Golding, Jamaica’s prime minister; and Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
The efficacy of a newly developed regional tsunami warning system is being tested in Antigua and across the Caribbean in a two-day exercise, which began yesterday. The activity, dubbed Caribe Wave 11, will assess the tsunami and other coastal hazards warning system for the Caribbean overall.
The Caribbean Tourism Organization has hailed plans to iron out anomalies in Air Passenger Duty distance bands as a “small but important victory” for the region. CTO chairman Richard Skerritt said there had been clear recognition by the Government of the intense industry lobbying efforts over the crucial issue. He was responding to yesterday’s Budget announcement by Chancellor George Osborne that the arbitrary nature of the bands “appeared to believe that the Caribbean was further away than California”.
The Caribbean island of St. Lucia has apologized to three American gay men who were attacked and robbed inside a villa by assailants who called them faggots. The apology from the tourism minister came after one of the victims, Michael Baker, posted a graphic account of the nightmarish incident on his Facebook page.
A group of 70 tour operators and business travel agencies from around the world are today urging Chancellor George Osborne to cut Air Passenger Duty in this week’s budget. The US-based Business Travel Coalition (BTC) has written to the chancellor to complain about the effect the increased levels of APD are having on tourism as well as the meetings, conference and incentives market. Osborne is due to announce the government’s plans for APD during the budget on Wednesday.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged the government of Colombia to strengthen the competitiveness of its air transport sector with further liberalization and infrastructure improvements.