I-Grenada Tourism Authority iyakuthokozela ukumemezela ukuthi isizini yokuvakasha ka-2022-2023 iqale ngoLwesihlanu, Okthoba 21 ngokufika Kwengqungquthela Yosaziwayo, ingxenye yeRoyal Caribbean Cruise Line, ethwele abagibeli abangu-1500 ethekwini eliku-Melville Street, St. George's.
Kuhlelelwe izingcingo ezingamakhulu amabili nambili (202) zokuhamba ngomkhumbi kule sizini, kanti isibalo sabagibeli esilindelekile sibe ngu-377,394, okusho ukwenyuka ngo-11% uma kuqhathaniswa nesizini ka-2018 - 2019.
I-Cruise tourism ithola izinzuzo ezimbalwa ezindaweni ezisingethe ezifana nalezi: ukukhulisa imali engenayo, ukwakhiwa kwamathuba emisebenzi, ukuthuthukiswa kwengqalasizinda, ukuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe kanye nokuhwebelana ngamasiko phakathi kwabantu bangaphandle nezakhamuzi. Isizini ikhombisa inkathi yokukhula komnotho emikhakheni eminingi futhi idala umphumela wokuphindaphindeka ngokushesha ngokukhuphula imali engenayo yamabhizinisi amaningi endawo afana nomkhakha wamatekisi nezokuthutha, abaqhubi bezokuvakasha, abathengisi bendawo bezinongo nezinongo, izingcweti nezindawo zokudlela.
Isikhulu esiphezulu seGrenada Tourism Authority uPetra Roach uthe, “IGrenada isilungele isizini yohambo ngomkhumbi ka-2022-23. Ekulungiseleleni, i-GTA yenze lula ukuqeqeshwa kanye nemihlangano yokucobelelana ngolwazi egxile ekuthuthukisweni kochwepheshe, ukwamukela izihambi kanye namaseshini okubandakanya amasiko, okuhloswe ngawo ukuthuthukisa ukusebenza kahle kwenkonzo.
“Lokhu kuyingxenye yesu eliphelele lokuqinisekisa ukuthi ababambiqhaza bethu kwezokuvakasha abafana nabashayeli bamatekisi, ama-artisan kanye nabathengisi bazilungiselele isizini futhi bazohlinzeka ngezinsizakalo ezisezingeni eliphezulu, eziphusile ngokwamasiko nezizothuthukisa ukumaketha kwethu.
“Izivakashi eziningi zokuvakasha ziyizivakashi eziphindayo ezikhetha ukubuyela ezindaweni lapho eziye zathola khona umuzwa omuhle kakhulu noyiqiniso. Ukukhula kwethu kukonke kulo mkhakha kukhuluma nentshisekelo eqinile yabathengi, ukuqhubeka nokugxila kwethu ekwandiseni ukunikezwa kwemikhiqizo yethu nokuzibophezela kwethu ekuthuthukisweni komkhiqizo okuqhubekayo nokuqeqeshwa kwabalingani bethu ababambiqhaza.”
URandall Dolland, uSihlalo webhodi leGrenada Tourism Authority uthe, “Umkhakha wezokuvakasha ubalulekile eGrenada njengoba udala umsebenzi omkhulu wezomnotho. I-GTA izibophezele ekuthuthukiseni umkhiqizo weGrenada kanye nokwandisa inani lemikhumbi kanye nezingcingo eziya emachwebeni ethu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sifuna ukuqinisekisa amanye amathuba omsebenzi kubantu bakithi.”
Ekhuluma ngesikhathi somcimbi wokuvula isikhungo sokwamukela umgwaqo iMelville, uMhlonishwa uLennox Andrews, uNgqongqoshe Wezokuvakasha, ubenethemba lokukhula emkhakheni wezokuvakasha, “Kule minyaka edlule, ithimba lethu eGrenada Tourism Authority lisungule inethiwekhi enhle kakhulu yezimboni. ababambisene nabo kanye nababambiqhaza abahlukahlukene bakahulumeni nabazimele futhi ngokubambisana bonke baye basebenzisane ukuze bazuze ngokugcwele embonini yezokuvakasha.”
Izikhulu zezokuvakasha kwa-GTA zijabule ngamathuba akhona okukhula nentuthuko embonini yezokuvakasha futhi zilindele ngokugcwele ukuthi le sizini ibe omunye unyaka oyingqopha-mlando eGrenada.
