A Question for Residents and Previous Residents

[Presser84]

For a course on tourism I’m taking in college I’m doing a research paper on the adverse impacts of cruising. I have gathered a lot of information on the environmental impacts, but there doesn’t appear to be much available on the impact on the populations of the ports visited.

 

I’m hoping that any residents/former residents of Barbados, or even frequent visitors, can comment on whether they have seen adverse impacts (economic, social, and/or cultural) as a result of cruise tourism, and whether cruise tourism is worse than longer-stay tourism.

 

Please understand, it is not my intention to blast either tourism in general or cruising in particular. However, I can get all the positive information I need from the cruise line associations, travel magazines, and local chambers of commerce. It is much more difficult to get information about negative impacts, which is my reason for raising the question here. Nonetheless, I would be interested in also hearing anyone's opinion about the beneficial impacts, and whether they make up for the adverse impacts.

 

 

[cruisingbajan]

For a course on tourism I’m taking in college I’m doing a research paper on the adverse impacts of cruising. I have gathered a lot of information on the environmental impacts, but there doesn’t appear to be much available on the impact on the populations of the ports visited.

 

I’m hoping that any residents/former residents of Barbados, or even frequent visitors, can comment on whether they have seen adverse impacts (economic, social, and/or cultural) as a result of cruise tourism, and whether cruise tourism is worse than longer-stay tourism.

 

Please understand, it is not my intention to blast either tourism in general or cruising in particular. However, I can get all the positive information I need from the cruise line associations, travel magazines, and local chambers of commerce. It is much more difficult to get information about negative impacts, which is my reason for raising the question here. Nonetheless, I would be interested in also hearing anyone's opinion about the beneficial impacts, and whether they make up for the adverse impacts.

 

 

 

presser84...

 

In my opinion cruise tourism has not impacted Barbados that much mainly because there is usually only 1 cruise ship in on any given day and on the VERY odd occasion there are 2.

 

This mayhowever change in the near future as Carnival has recently struck a $156m(BDS) deal with the Bridgetown Port. They seem to be keeping the details pretty close to the vest so we have no idea of the specifics of the deal.

 

Like I said so far they are no real impacts either economically or environmentally on the wider society but that may change. We just have to wait and see.

 

If there is anything specific you would like to know feel free to ask and I will answer as best I can.

[becwe]

"there is usually only 1 cruise ship in on any given day and on the VERY odd occasion there are 2."

 

Hi

FYI

The Empress of the sea is in port 25 Nov06. It is one of 5 ships that day.

[cruisingbajan]

"there is usually only 1 cruise ship in on any given day and on the VERY odd occasion there are 2."

 

Hi

FYI

The Empress of the sea is in port 25 Nov06. It is one of 5 ships that day.

 

Thank you becwe for that bit of info.

 

I am a born and bred Barbadian and in my thirty plus years there has never been these many ships at anyone time. This is indeed an ANONMALY as it has never happened before.

 

As I said in my earlier post since the deal with carnival we will just have to wait and see how it goes.

[Sunniebgi]

BajanKeith.. with apologies.. as someone who works in the cruise industry in Barbados and has for a number of years. 5 ships in port, while not the norm is certainly not abnormal. During the Winter Season ranging from October to April, there is certainly more than 1 day each year when we can have at least 5 or 6 ships in at one time. Today alone there where 3 ships, and on Nov 25th, 5 ships are sked into the port.

 

On the 28th and 29th of April 2007 there are 13 ships, large and small, scheduled to berth in and around the bridgetown harbour. This will be an abnormal day (it is also the finals of the Cricket World Cup which is being played just out side of the port at Kensington Oval (if they ever get it finished).

 

Yes I will agree that in the summer we get maybe one ship a week.. but.. we do get lots of them in the winter.

 

 

Presser84, in answer to your questions.. and of course it's not the be all and end all.. but I wouldn't say there is too much adverse impact on Barbados as a whole from the numbers of cruise ship arrivals we have every year. One might view not spending money as an adverse impact. Also the fact that the cruise ships do get water and milk and food from the island, which could impact on what the local population gets, but that happens in the tourist trade anyway. If there is a shortage of something, the tourist get it first (hotels, guest houses, restaurants etc, before the grocery stores).

 

It would be interesting to read your report when you are done.

 

and you should just rely on the cruise lines etc to give you the postitive things.. you should ask the local population as well.

[Presser84]

Presser84, in answer to your questions.. and of course it's not the be all and end all.. but I wouldn't say there is too much adverse impact on Barbados as a whole from the numbers of cruise ship arrivals we have every year. One might view not spending money as an adverse impact. Also the fact that the cruise ships do get water and milk and food from the island, which could impact on what the local population gets, but that happens in the tourist trade anyway. If there is a shortage of something, the tourist get it first (hotels, guest houses, restaurants etc, before the grocery stores).

 

It would be interesting to read your report when you are done.

 

and you should just rely on the cruise lines etc to give you the postitive things.. you should ask the local population as well.

 

Sunniebgi,

 

Your last comment is the reason I'm posting here - to try to get the view of the local population. The cruise lines belong to associations that put out a lot of information, most of which is designed to put them in a good light. And, before anyone flames me, as I said in my original post, I'm not trying to write a paper that blasts either tourism or the cruise industry.

 

However, one of the topics covered in the text for my class is the fact that much of the perceived economic benefit of tourism does not really stay in the local economy, and, from what I've gathered elsewhere, this may be especially true of cruise tourists. After all, most cruisers go back to the ship to eat their meals, and often aren't in port long enough to enjoy evening entertainment there.

 

Do you think that cruise tourists spend less on shopping/day than do longer stay tourists? Do cruise tourists seem more or less polite than other visitors? I don't know the answers, but would appreciate any additional comments you might have.

[SharkCruiser24]

Tourism is a major and the biggest industry on the island of Barbados. have never cruised to the island but have flown in and stayed for months with family. I would never give up the chance to cruise there, however I don't think (personally) I would enjoy my stay as much, 1 day just isn't enough. The cruise industry has definatley helpped the wonderous country. The only negative and this is once again from a degative point of view (and it happend in nearly ever port city) it gets very crowded in town and at the beaches, but what else can you expect. :p

[SharkCruiser24]

"there is usually only 1 cruise ship in on any given day and on the VERY odd occasion there are 2."

 

Hi

FYI

The Empress of the sea is in port 25 Nov06. It is one of 5 ships that day.

 

Calm down:)

[Captain Sparrow]

In my opinion Cruise Tourism has it ups and downs depending on the point of view it is looked at.

I think that in terms of the temporary population increase for the 1 day a ship is in port or as many as 5 ships in port, most Barbadian people have a positive look as this makes a big impact on the economy. The visitors are all spending money whether it is as little as a $3.00 taxi ride to the beach for the day or if they are buying the most expensive piece of jewelry in the stores in town.

Also the ship itself has to pay docking fees at the port which is added to the cruise price at the consumers end (the cruiser) all of these things help our economy.

On the other hand they are situations that most people may not be aware of; maybe as much as 99% of Barbadians are not aware that tours sold onboard the ship (the pre booked tours) are not benefiting our countries economy to their fullest potential.

The ship has negotiation power with the volume of people they can sell on one given tour; therefore they negotiate the lowest price, which the ship will mark up as much as 120% in some cases. This leaves less than 50% of the sale left on the island to benefit the economy. The other 50% or more leaves with the ship to maybe benefit another country. Not only do they have huge mark ups but they also give all the business to one operator in each field without even giving the chance to some of the other operators offering the same or similar tours. Yes the ship has to make money but does it have to be 120%.

This I think goes unseen by most people and maybe a smaller percentage of mark up should be allowed by law on the ship for each tour; or maybe the ship should be taxed in the country of which it is in port, on the amount of which is marked up on each tour sold in that country; so that the hard work of the locals goes towards helping the economy if nothing else.

I hope you find this helpful as negative feedback. However there is still more positive than negative feedback with regards to Cruise Tourism.

 

Captain Sparrow