PHILIPSBURG--Cruise arrivals to St. Maarten have surpassed the projections for January and February and represent a 20.4 per cent and 22 per cent growth respectively over the same two months a year earlier.
According to figures from St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies, a total of 217,437 cruise passengers arrived aboard 85 ships that visited the island in January. That total was 24,189 more than the projected 193,248. For January 2010, a total of 180,543 cruisers visited the island.
February's arrival figure was 207,486 cruise passengers and 89 ship calls, compared to the projected 173,056. In the same month a year earlier, a total of 170,036 cruisers from 70 ship calls enjoyed the island's beaches, culinary delights and shopping.
The combined cruise passenger arrival so far for the year is 424,923.
The projected cruise passenger arrival for March is 208,033. For March 2010, the actual arrival figure was 192,195.
St. Maarten is aiming to break another cruise record this year by hosting more than 1.5 million passengers. Last year ended with a total of 1,463,873 cruise passengers and the island played host to its millionth passenger in August, the first time this milestone was reached so early in the year. The island has been playing host to a million and more passengers for nine years now.
Harbour Group CEO Mark Mingo said St. Maarten continues to be a preferred destination for cruise lines, but warned as the economy globally begins to feel the pinch of the looming oil crisis and already increasing oil prices, the island has to remain competitive. That competitiveness has to come from what the island has to offer to enhance its strategic geographically position, he added.
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