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Posted: Friday 24 November, 2017 at 11:10 AM

Tourism launches Yachting Sector Strategic Plan

Minister of Tourism Hon. Lindsay Grant (L) and Christophe Harbour’s Director of Marina, Aeneas Hollins
By: Jermine Abel, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER of Tourism, Hon. Lindsay Grant has announced that the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is set to benefit economically from a recently implemented 2017-2022 Yachting Sector Strategic Plan.

     

    At a ceremony held at Christophe Harbour’s Marina yesterday (Nov. 23), the Minister told SKNVibes that the plan is a document that would, over the next five years, enhance the local yachting industry which would benefit the Federation economically.

    Over the past several years, officials at the Ministry of Tourism, along with the National Yachting Committee, had been pushing yachting, while the local club has been organizing itself.

    The document, according to Minister Grant, would create linkages amongst various sectors in St. Kitts and Nevis.

    “This is a document that would redound to the benefit of the citizens, generations to come. And it is one, if worked consistently and strategically, we can place St. Kitts and Nevis as the number one yachting destination in the Caribbean, which we are striving for.”

    Job creation, ancillary businesses are going to spring up and an increase in the Gross Domestic Product were several of the benefits that the Minister outlined.

    “We want to have the yachting industry in a position where its contribution to GDP surpasses the cruise sector. And when that happens, it would be magnificent and significant links between cruise tourism and the yachting industry.”

    According to Grant, their expectations for the industry over the next several years are to increase the arrival of yacht – as has been the case in recent years.

    That comes as a result of management of the Marina at Christophe Harbour announcing they had seen increasing calls to that location.

    “As other people have said, we have seen 20% year-on-year growth in the industry in the nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. This season is hoting up fast; we are forecast now to far exceed any of our previously mentioned expectations.
     
    “Many boats are coming to the region and most of those are going to visit our shores this year. We are seeing an unprecedented number of inquiries and very different dynamics. We are seeing inquires for longer stays; we are seeing inquiries for repeated visits; and we are seeing home-ported vessels. We are seeing charters and we are seeing an increase in demand for service work,” explained Christophe Harbour’s Director of Marina, Aeneas Hollins.  

    According to the Director, they are very pleased to assist the Government with the development of the industry, and the resultant diversification and impact to come.

    “We are all taking the future of yachting very seriously indeed and we are planning accordingly,” Hollins added.  

    Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Carlene Henry-Morton intimated that they are happy with what they would have achieve thus far, noting that there is more traction now from the Government since the sector was established in 1970.

    She pointed out that the document would be used as a road map to guide the Minister and to chart a “very productive course” for the industry.
     
     
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