Cruise arrivals in St. Kitts during the 2024–2025 peak season saw an 8 percent increase over the previous year, signalling renewed strength in the country’s tourism sector.
Minister of Tourism, Marsha Henderson, announced the growth at a press conference hosted at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on 29th April, 2025. She reported that 748,056 cruise passengers visited the island between October 2024 and April 2025, compared to 690,244 the previous season.
“This growth is the result of the collective efforts among the Ministry of Tourism, the sister agencies, and the industry partners, all focused on enhancing the guest experience, improving our port facilities, and ensuring visitor satisfaction and safety,” Minister Henderson said.
She added that while the figures are encouraging, “true success in tourism is not only measured in numbers, but in the tangible impact on the lives of our citizens.”
To that end, the Ministry of Tourism has implemented strategic initiatives aimed at increasing local participation and benefits from the cruise tourism sector. Among them is the Tour Development Programme, which was launched in August 2024. The programme supports small business owners in designing and offering unique tour experiences that cater to diverse visitor interests.
“I am proud to share that 15 companies are currently participating in the programme and we remain committed to their success,” Minister Henderson noted.
In addition to empowering local entrepreneurs, the Ministry has resolved a longstanding barrier for small tour operators—insurance coverage. With the new passenger insurance framework in place, smaller operators are now eligible to sell their packages directly through cruise lines, giving them equal footing with larger competitors.
As St. Kitts continues to strengthen its cruise tourism portfolio, Henderson revealed that senior executives from Royal Caribbean Group are expected to visit the island later this month to engage with local tourism officials and experience the destination first-hand. This follows a similar visit by Carnival Corporation executives in October 2024, which has already begun bearing fruit in renewed partnerships.
St/ Kitts’ upward trend in cruise arrivals and commitment to inclusive tourism signals a robust outlook for the industry, with increasing opportunities for both international visitors and local stakeholders.
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