The Ministry of Tourism, ably-led by the Honourable Marsha Henderson, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority (SKTA) and other stakeholders in the tourism industry all came in for high praise from Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, as St. Kitts and Nevis welcomed the inaugural call of the Seabourn Venture to its shores on Monday, October 10.
The SKTA hosted a plaque exchange ceremony at the Carambola Beach Club where the Seabourn Venture is docked. There, Prime Minister Dr. Drew brought greetings on behalf of Minister Henderson who is currently representing the Federation at the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Conference with the Heads of Government and cruise executives.
“I must commend the honourable minister and her team for the tremendous job they have done thus far. I am proud of the work the ministry has conducted over the past months and I look forward to the new tourism season,” said the prime minister.
Prime Minister Dr. Drew also commented on the strong partnership between St. Kitts as a tourism destination and the Seabourn Cruise Line.
“I am also aware that after our lockdowns due to COVID-19 and we began courting the cruise lines to return, Seabourn was the first line to visit the destination back in July 2021. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the line and to commit our continued support of the partnership we have developed over the years.”
The prime minister indicated that the inaugural call of the Seabourn Venture marked the eighth ship from that line to visit St. Kitts. Dr. Drew said, “This to me is remarkable and shows confidence in our people to deliver at a very high standard.”
Prime Minister Dr. Drew also used the occasion to record his thanks and appreciation to the stakeholders of the tourism industry for their resilience over the past two years.
“Today we can look towards the future with hope and anticipation for better days. I want to also thank everyone who played a role in the return of the cruise sector for the 2022-2023 Season and encourage us to work together to offer our visitors a rich authentic Kittitian experience,” said Dr. Drew.
With the removal of all COVID-19 protocols and the gradual return of traveler confidence, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is optimistic that the 2022-2023 Season will be fruitful.
