Cruises return to Portland but unvaxxed players to lose out

Unvaccinated players in the tourism industry could lose out on the opportunity to earn from their livelihood following the return of cruise ships to Port Antonio after a two-year absence.

It was the advent of COVID-19 that severely disrupted operations of the cruise ship industry worldwide – resulting in travel tourism, by sea, coming to a halt globally in 2020.

However, for the resort town of Port Antonio, a cruise ship visit, the first in more than two years, is a welcome sight for many; at least for those in the industry that are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

In an exclusive telephone interview with The Gleaner last Friday, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said that there are consequences to everyone’s action, and that there is a definite need for players in the tourism industry to get vaccinated, so as to maintain their relevance and to earn from their livelihood.

“The decision of those in the cruise ship industry is to ensure that vessels are accommodated at ports that are in full compliance with COVID-19 regulations,” said Bartlett.

“As such, players in the industry who are fully vaccinated will be the ones benefiting from such visits going forward. We are trying to bring back the economy of Port Antonio and for money to flow in the pockets of the ordinary man. Cruise tourism is huge consumption, and it’s all about consuming the local products made by Jamaicans.

“We are excited that the cruise industry is back, but bear in mind also that the cruise lines have become far more responsive to COVID-19 protocols than ever before. And, indeed, they have gone even beyond what the regulations are, to ensure that the cruisers (visitors) are safe, or, more so, that the community that they go to is safe and, to a large extent, free from any possible infections,” he added.

According to Bartlett, it is going to be increasingly difficult for the cruisers to go into communities and areas where there is a high number of unvaccinated people. He argued that the world is going the way of vaccination, and that it is now absolutely necessary that players in the industry follow suit and get vaccinated.

MAKE UP OUR MINDS

“I cannot encourage the cruisers to go and to patronise unvaccinated stakeholders. We all have to make up our minds if we want to be in the fray of the regular world or we want to remain isolated and have weak economic returns, or none at all. Port Antonio is an integral part of the country’s tourism product and they will be getting their fair share of the pie,” Bartlett said.

Meantime, Member of Parliament for Eastern Portland Ann-Marie Vaz told The Gleaner that data obtained from the Ministry of Health and Wellness show that Portland has the lowest number of vaccinated people of all the parishes islandwide, which, according to her, does not augur well for tourism.

A clean-up and beautification exercise is under way in Port Antonio and its environs. The Portland Municipal Corporation, the office of the member of parliament, and other interests have commenced work on the cleaning up of a beach area at the Craft Village near Carder Park, together with the cleaning-up and repainting of sidewalks along some of the streets.

The cruise ship The World docked at the Ken Wright Pier in Port Antonio on Sunday, carrying approximately 90 luxury passengers. Another cruise ship is slated to call on that town later this month, with about 1,200 passengers.

But there are concerns about the future and well-being of some craft traders, raft captains, and other interests who remain unvaccinated.