By
Alex Smith |
Royal Caribbean International predicts that cruise passenger arrivals in the Caribbean will rise by 50% by 2030, generating US$6 billion for the region’s economy.
President and CEO Michael Bayley shared Royal Caribbean’s forecast at Caribbean Tourism Organisation outlook forum, which was organised as a platform for discussion between member governments and leaders from the tourism industry in the region. It was attended by tourism officials from 12 member countries of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation.
“The Caribbean was, is, and will always be, the number one cruise destination in the world,” said Bayley. “There are considerations that we need to take into account in terms of some of the destinations’ ability to absorb the growth that is coming.”
Bayley pointed to the cruise line’s private island destination in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, as an example of collaboration that benefits both the destination and the cruise line. Perfect Day at CocoCay offers a range of attractions, including the tallest water slide in the region and a wave pool that is the largest freshwater pool in The Bahamas.
“There is a lot of demand for these products and if we can figure out how to collaborate together to create these experiences, they don’t always have to have this shape and form,” said Bayley. “As we evolve in terms of our ship design, experiences and what we are creating for our customers we really believe there is a huge opportunity to take all that knowledge… and transfer it into the destination in a very meaningful way.”