🛳️ Cayman Islands government accused of neglecting cruise tourism

Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart has criticised the Cayman Islands government for its handling of the cruise tourism sector. He accused the United Progressive Movement (UPM) of adopting an "abandon ships" strategy, with larger cruise ships now being diverted to other Caribbean ports. While McTaggart did not clarify whether his party, the Progressives (PPM), still supports the construction of a cruise pier, he blamed the UPM for the decline in cruise visitor numbers, which have reached their lowest since 2002. 🛳️

According to Port Authority statistics, cruise visitor numbers have fallen even further this year, with a drop of more than 70,000 passengers, or nearly 15%, in the first three months. McTaggart contrasted this with the record numbers of cruise visitors seen across the Caribbean. He also criticised the government's lack of a clear plan for the cruise sector, which he claimed was threatening local businesses and livelihoods. McTaggart called for immediate action and collaboration between the government and industry to plan for the future of cruise tourism in the Cayman Islands. 🏝️

For years, cruise lines have stated they will not bring larger ships to the Cayman Islands until berthing facilities are built, a project many locals believe is not worth the environmental damage. Despite this, the PPM is eager to maintain as much cruise tourism business as possible. McTaggart urged the government to put aside electoral interests and work with the PPM to develop a new strategy for the sector. ⛴️