Tweet

Prime Minister Gaston Browne is predicting that Antigua & Barbuda will surpass neighbouring St. Kitts & Nevis in the area of cruise visitors and the leading cruise destination in the region .

St. Kitts & Nevis has been welcoming over a million passengers for the last few years, an accomplishment Browne says is due to its ability to accommodate Oasis Class Vessels.

Browne says the ball game is about to change because “we also have the fifth berth here that is being constructed.”

“People must know too that is Global Parts Money that is building this firth berth at a cost of about 35 million and after 30 years the berth comes back to us,” he said.

Antigua & Barbuda cruise arrivals average about 750 thousand annually but Browne says the Global Parts investment will change the game and put this twin island state ahead of the federation.

“What would have happened for the last decade and a half, because we didn’t have an OASIS class ship berth, we were not competitive and that is why St. Kitts has been toasting us for many years.

“15 years ago St. Kitts had less than half of the amount of tourism arrivals that Antigua had and today they are ahead of us.

“But by the time we get that 5th berth completed by the end of the year, within 12 months we going and toast St. Kitts,” prime minister said.

Browne hastened to add that “I am not saying this out of any hostility for St. Kitts we just a competitive nation.”