Cruise ship visitors are set to reach record levels this season

FRIDAY, FEB. 3: More than 160 visits from cruise ships are expected in the upcoming tourist season, Transport Minister Derrick Burgess said today (Friday).

Mr Burgess added that that the year was shaping up to have the second highest number of cruise visitor arrivals ever – beaten only by last year.

He said that he was in talks with transport providers to avoid problems caused last year by heavy demand for services from Dockyard to Hamilton at peak times.

Mr Burgess said: “Although we will have limited financial resources to expand services in 2012, our strategy is to work smarter, more efficiently and to have better coordination between the various transport modes, both public and private.”

Mr Burgess said that an increased number of ferry trips from Dockyard to St George’s was in the pipeline, while the bus service was recruiting more mechanics to minimise the number of buses out of service and the Taxi Authority was helping to improve private sector transport availability for cruise visitors.

He added that 44 of the total bus fleet of 121 were out service at present and that 75 operational buses were needed to continue to provide a full service.

Mr Burgess said: “The overall objective is to reduce the number of out-of-service buses so we can meet the demands, not only generated by cruise and air visitors, but also school bus services and regularly-scheduled service. We will make every effort to avoid the difficulties experienced last season.”