Dominica to sign agreement to establish new cruise ship facility: Denise Charles

The agreement for the development of a new cruise ship facility in Dominica is on verge of finalized. This announcement was made by the Minister of Tourism, Denise Charles Pemberton at a Cruise Stakeholders Symposium.

Notably, the Cruise Stakeholders Symposium was conducted by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Discover Dominica Authority at the Goodwill Parish Hall on Wednesday, 11^th September and Thursday, 12 September, 2024.

This two-day event was conducted with a vision to provide valuable insights and resources for the cruise industry stakeholders of Dominica.

While shedding light on the Dominica’s Cruise port infrastructure, Denise Charles stated that facilities in Roseau are insufficient for the growing size of vessels and the number of cruise ships docking at the shores of the country.

She noted that this congestion could result in degradation of the quality of services experienced. Therefore, the government have come up with an idea of developing the new cruise facility, in order to ensure the enhancement of the overall experiences of all the visitors and smooth docking of the vessels at the shores of the island nation.

She also highlighted about the amenities and stated that this new facility will feature modern services which will hold the capacity to accommodate larger vessels. She further asserted that these upgraded facilities would later play a huge role in welcoming large number of guests and opening doors to several opportunities for them.

Minister Denise Charles added that the development of a new cruise facility will also play a crucial role in creating large number of job opportunities for the countrymen. It would later result in decreasing the unemployment level of the nation, enhancing the overall economic conditions.

She stated that all these developments will definitely take time to complete but, in the meantime, they are planning to extend the pier in Roseau as the first phase of their infrastructure upgrade.

While focusing on the first phase, Minister Charles noted that it will enhance the experiences of all the passengers by increasing the boat-in capacity. She stated that this development will create a comfortable environment for all the passengers as they disembark.

Moreover, this two-day Cruise Stakeholders Symposium offered plethora of experiences to all the attendees by providing them insights to current trends and the future outlook of the cruise industry. Along with that, the attendees also got an opportunity to learn strategies and best practices in order to enhance service quality and exceed the expectations of all the visitors.

The symposium also featured presentations on several topics such as health protocols, financing options and other essential related matters. The two-day event encouraged all the stakeholders to come together, network and equip themselves with the knowledge and tools which are required to thrive in the industry.