Njengoba imboni yezokuvakasha iqhubeka nokusimama kwayo, iSikhulu Esiphezulu (CEO) se-Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), uMnu. Colin James uhole ithimba elihlanganisa ababambiqhaza boMnyango Wezokuvakasha, i-Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority, kanye Amalungu aphezulu e-St Johns Taxi Association eya ku-Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) 28th Annual Conference, ebanjelwe e-Santa Domingo, e-Dominican Republic, ngo-Okthoba 11th -14th.
Ithimba lakhiwe uMnuz St. Clair Soleyn, uMphathi Omkhulu Womklamo, kanye noNksz Simone Richards, Uchwepheshe Wezinqubomgomo, bobabili eMnyangweni Wezokuvakasha Nokutshalwa Kwezimali, kanye noMnu. Darwin Telemaque, oyi-CEO, i-Antigua kanye ne-Barbuda Port Authority, phakathi kwabanye.
Ithimba libambe iqhaza emihlanganweni yezinga eliphezulu nababambe iqhaza abakhulu embonini yezokuvakasha ngomkhumbi. UMnu. James waphawula, “I-Cruise tourism iyingxenye ekhula ngokushesha embonini yethu yezokuvakasha. Njengoba manje sithola ukululama okukhulu ngemuva kokuma ngqá ngenxa yomthelela wobhubhane lwe-Covid-19, ukuhlelwa kwengqungquthela kufike ngesikhathi. ”
UMnu. James waqhubeka, “Inkathi yasebusika ezayo ithembisa ukuqopha umlando kwabafika ngomkhumbi. Abagibeli abangaba ngu-182,120 abasuka ezingcingweni eziyi-108 kulindeleke phakathi nekota yokugcina yalo nyaka njengoba uJanuwari 2023 kulindeleke ukuthi kube yinyanga yethu ematasa kakhulu kule sizini ngezingcingo ezingama-79 nabagibeli abayi-135,810 abaya eSt.
Ithimba libe nemihlangano nabaphathi abamele imigqa ye-cruise lines engaphezu kwe-10 kanye nabaphathi be-FCCA. UMnyango Wezokuvakasha Nokutshalwa Kwezimali, kanye ne-ABTA, ukwazile futhi ukusiza ukuhambela kwamalungu amathathu e-St, Johns Taxi Association, uMongameli, uMnu. Patrick Bennet, uMnu. Leroy Baptiste, kanye noMnu. Sean Beazer emihlanganweni ne ubuholi beFCCA.
Imihlangano ibingagwegwesi futhi inempumelelo, ihlanganisa nesethulo esivela kuNhlangano Yamatekisi okuholele ekutheni i-FCCA ijabulele ukwenyuka kwezindleko zokuthutha ebilokhu imile kule minyaka eyi-17 edlule.
Njengoba amandla ezinkundla zokuhamba eqhubeka nokuvela, izingxoxo zahlukahluka yizinkampani zokuhamba ngomkhumbi. Amakhulu ama-Antiguans nama-Barbudans ayaqhubeka nokuhlomula emathubeni emisebenzi anikezwa yi-Royal Caribbean kanye ne-MSC cruise lines.
Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ithimba lijabule ngesimemezelo sokuthi i-Virgin Voyages', ukuthunyelwa kwayo esifundeni kulo nyaka kubambezelekile ngenxa yezinselelo zezokuthutha, izobiza i-Antigua ngo-2023. Olayini bemikhumbi manje sebegunyazwe ukuthi banciphise indawo yabo ye-carbon, isimiso okufanele bakuthobele. Lokhu kuzothinta izimbobo abazisebenzisayo ezinhlelweni zabo zohambo.
Ithimba labelane ngezindaba zokuthi i-Antigua isiqalile ukufaka amajeneretha ayisithupha e-Liquified Natural Gas, (LNG) azosetshenziswa ngo-Ephreli 2023. Mayelana nalokho, i-Princess Cruise Lines yeluleke ukuthi izokwethula i-Sun Princess yayo, ethwala abagibeli abangu-4,300. , umkhumbi wayo wokuqala we-LNG, ozobiza i-St. Johns ngo-2023. Ngezinqubomgomo eziqinile zase-U.S. eziphathelene nokukhipha umoya, i-Antigua ilindele ukuthi imikhumbi eminingi yase-USA izokwenza isiqhingi sibe ichweba lokushaya ucingo.
Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ithimba eliphezulu lezikhulu eziyisithupha ze-Carnival, UK P&O Cruise lines zizovakashela i-Antigua phakathi no-November ukuze kube nemihlangano noMhlonishwa uNdunankulu, uMnu. Gaston Browne kanye noNgqongqoshe Ohloniphekile Wezokuvakasha Nokutshalwa Kwezimali, uMnu. Charles ' UMax' Fernandez ngokuzibophezela kokuqala ukuthumela ekhaya umkhumbi wabo omusha othi "Ariva" e-St. Johns kusukela ngoJanuwari 2023.
Lo mhlangano uzolandelwa yimihlangano yezobuchwepheshe nezinhlaka zikahulumeni ezifanele. Ukwengeza ngephesenti elikhulu lethrafikhi yokuhamba ngomkhumbi evela e-United States, ukuthunyelwa ekhaya kusuka kweminye imigqa yase-Antigua nakho manje sekucatshangelwa kakhulu.
Ithimba lase-Antigua labelane nabaphathi bemikhumbi yemikhumbi ukuthi ngemva kwezingxoxo eziyimpumelelo, i-St. Johns kuzoba ukuphela kwechweba e-Eastern Caribbean elinikeza imvume ye-electronic emikhunjini efikayo. Ngokuthumela ama-manifest omkhumbi kuma-ejensi alawula amachweba ase-Antigua, kusihlwa ngaphambi kokufika e-St. Johns, abagibeli babo bazosusa ukuthuthela kwelinye izwe namasiko kusenesikhathi ukuze uma sebengenile, ukwehla kuqale ngokushesha.
U-CEO u-James uphinde wakhuluma ngokuqiniseka ngokwanda kwabafikayo ehlobo lika-2023. Wabelana ngalelo hlobo lika-2022, kwakuyinselele kuso sonke isifunda njengoba kubikwe izingcingo zemikhumbi ezi-4 kuphela. Kodwa-ke, ezinye izingcingo eziyi-18 sezivele zihlelelwe isikhathi sikaMeyi kuya kuSepthemba 2023.
Ingqungquthela yalo nyaka ibe nezithunywa ezingaphezu kuka-1,500, okuhlanganisa oNdunankulu noNgqongqoshe ababhekele ezokuVakasha, ama-CEO ezinkampani zezokuvakasha, Abaqondisi Bezokuvakasha, Abamele Indawo, Izinkampani Zokuvakasha, Izinkampani Zokukhangisa, Nezokukhangisa, kanye nabaphathi abavela emikhakheni ehlukene yezokuvakasha.
