Following positive results in 2023, the cruise industry in the Caribbean has been seeing a resurgence in visitors in 2024. Close to 32 million travelers cruised in 2023, a seven percent increase over 2019, with more expected to travel in 2024.
According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)’s 2024 State of the Cruise Industry report, over 44% of those travelers were to the Caribbean. This number is more than double the 18.5% who sailed to the next-highest region, the Mediterranean.
The 12.9 million cruise travelers to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda in 2023 grew by one million visitors when comparing 2023 to 2019.
The Bahamas saw almost 40% higher than 2019 levels, while in Barbados, 2024 visitors are expected to exceed its 2023 numbers by almost 200,000. Curacao is also expected to deliver a 13% uptick in cruise travelers compared to 2023 totals.
Following a near 30% increase in 2023 compared with 2022, Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s tourism minister reaffirmed visitors at the Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami Beach, that the country is setting a target of over 400,000 annual cruise visitors.
While there has been significant increases in multiple destinations in the region, there is room for growth in other island countries hoping to attract tourists.
One such city which has seen an increase of 22 percent over the January and February months compared to 2023 has been Cozumel. Cozumel recorded the arrival of 900,000 cruise passengers in this time frame with 75 ships docking in the initial 14 days of 2024.
The Port of Cozumel is the fourth most visited port in the world welcoming more than two million cruise passengers each year. The island in the Caribbean Sea welcomes cruise ships and passengers from around the world with all the major cruise lines stopping at the Punta Maya, Punta Langosta and SSA México shipping terminals on the island of Cozumel.
The once-secluded hideaway is one of Mexico’s most-visited locations in the Caribbean region. Home to clear turquoise waters, this relatively small island off the coast of Playa del Carmen is known for its pristine beaches and being a premier diving destination.
With countless activities on land and in the water, it is an island paradise in every sense of the term. The glistening tropical paradise is home to luxury resorts, Mayan history and modern amenities.
Compared to other regions in Mexico, Cozumel has a very low crime rate and is considered a very safe area to travel to.
The post Cruising In The Caribbean Is Hitting Record Highs Ahead Of Summer 2024 appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.
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By: Jarone Ashkenazi
Title: Cruising In The Caribbean Is Hitting Record Highs Ahead Of Summer 2024
Sourced From: www.travelinglifestyle.net/cruising-in-the-caribbean-is-hitting-record-highs-ahead-of-summer-2024/
Published Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 15:14:02 +0000
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