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by Susan Parker |
On 22 March, a brand new port with strong historical references opened in Jamaica. Historic Falmouth was inaugurated with the first call of Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas with many more to come this year. The giant ship towered above the port’s buildings, and, carrying a maximum of 6,318 passengers and 2,394 crew, she has a larger population than the town of Falmouth itself.
At the opening, Richard Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises, said: “Royal Caribbean is delighted to have partnered with the Port Authority of Jamaica to create the Caribbean’s premier cruise port. Together, we are working to deliver our shared vision of the region’s first themed port of call to offer our guests all the best experiences along Jamaica’s north coast.”
On a walking tour of Falmouth afterwards, Fain added: “It feels good to be involved with something that is not only clearly successful for us but is so clearly successful for the whole community. This will be a very profitable investment for Jamaica.” Michael Henry, Jamaica’s minister of transport and works, said: “The Royal Caribbean team has made a huge input into the project.”
The port in Trelawny consists of two deepwater berths, 100,000 sq ft of thematically-designed commercial buildings and 12 acres of reclaimed land. It is owned and operated by the Port Authority and is open to all cruise lines. Its development was driven by the size of Royal Caribbean’s next generation Oasis-class vessels. On being advised of the scale of these vessels, Noel Hylton, chief executive officer of the Port Authority and a key driver in making Falmouth happen, said the authority recognised that none of its existing facilities would be adequate. He said: “Decisive action had to be taken to protect the existing business coming from Royal Caribbean, as well as to ensure future growth.”
The authority engaged design firm IDEA. Over six months the firm created the design concept, Historic Falmouth, in close cooperation with the Port Authority and Royal Caribbean. The original tender cost, however, was too high. Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding said: “At that point, Royal Caribbean demonstrated it was determined to sail its ships to Falmouth. They offered to redesign and build the port, at a cost that was 20 per cent less than the price we had been given.” The project has already cost in excess of US$250m in marina and landside development, explains William Tatham, the Port Authority’s vice president of cruise shipping and marina operations. “It is the largest project of its type in Jamaica today so the impact in the area is significant,” he says.
By the end of July, 200,000 passengers had already visited, which translates into US$20 million in spending in the local economy, according to Tatham. “The port will deliver over US$50 million in spending next year and create employment for approximately 1,000 people. Once complete the Ministry of Tourism expects that the new port will generate about US$250 million in annual spending,” he says.
Already Jamaica has seen investors coming in as a result of the project. A number of international brands are coming for the first time such as Diamonds International, Columbian Emeralds and Dufry.
Restaurant construction has now begun. John Tercek, RCL’s vice president of commercial development, says: “The port village should be fully functional by the November season.” He paid tribute to the mayor: “He is doing a great job of organising local vendors and striving – successfully – to minimise harassment. We get zero complaints.”
In addition, new tours are being created not only by established operators such as Chukka Caribbean Adventures (CCA) but also newcomers. A pirate tour with Captain Hook looming large began in mid-July with passengers taking a pirate ship that comes under attack from another pirate vessel in the bay. There are also plans for a major rum plantation tour at Hamden Estate.
John Byles, CCA’s co-managing director, says: “Chukka has a commitment to continually refresh the destination and there are many new tour experiences that we have on the table. It’s not so much the tour as the commitment to always keep our offerings fresh and relevant.”
The Trolley Tours, managed by Braemar Tours in Falmouth, are now in full swing too, with three trolleys working throughout the day due to the tour’s popularity. Horse and carriage and walking tours have also been a great success. Tatham says the Port Authority is getting enquiries every week from investors seeking opportunities created by the project. An added benefit, he explains, is the amount of public relations that has been caused by the project. “Tourists staying in hotels have been making their way to Falmouth unsolicited to see what the excitement is all about,” he says
This is an abridged version of an article that appeared in the Autumn/ Winter 2011 edition of International Cruise & Ferry Review. You can subscribe to the magazine in printed or digital formats.