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Positions and Projects Click here for July 2005 comment on the cruise ship proposals press release Cruise
Ship Report Introduction Although there is a strength of demand in the cruise ship industry of the island’s tourism, it has been acknowledged by several groups of people, namely the Department of Tourism and the Bermuda National Trust, that with a small surface area of 21 square miles, a resident population of 60,000 and a yearly influx of tourists, Bermuda’s delicate infrastructure may well be impacted in both the short and long term. In a recent presentation, the Department of Tourism acknowledged that “Bermuda has limited resources to adequately handle large groups of visitors who arrive at the same place, at the same time.” Although the main concern of the Department lies in imposing strain on areas of transportation, sightseeing and hospitality services, and mostly in ensuring satisfaction in the vacation experience of our visitors, environmental issues need also to be considered. At present, the policy has been to limit the total number of cruise ship visitors to 6,000 per day. However, with new ships under construction being over 800 feet in length and carrying 2000 passengers each, the industry is moving towards larger vessels, and the Department of Tourism may take the decision of moving with the industry. This potential increase in the number of cruise ships, frequency of cruise ship holidays, and/or larger cruise ships coming to Bermuda, raises concern on the carrying capacity of the Bermuda islands. In order to meet the demands of the future, a well thought out management procedure is necessary. A comprehensive document on the potential impacts of cruise ships may well prove to be an aid to the Department of Tourism’s potential future goals, and towards sustainable economic development. Click here for the full report in PDF format.
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