Port Saint John (Photo submitted)
Port Saint John may be unable to welcome cruise ship tourists this year, but an industry expert expects a bounceback to begin before the 2022 tourist season.
This week’s Port Days conference included a presentation from the CEO of a leading port-planning and design firm.
“Our growth projections basically say that (the cruise industry) will have about three to four years of recovery, and then by 2030 we’ll be probably hitting the same strides we hid prior to the pandemic,” said Luis Ajamil, CEO and President of Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Inc.
Ultimately, Ajamil feels like they will get back to their former growth and passenger volumes eventually.
Despite Transport Canada extending its ban on cruise ships until February 2022, cruise lines have begun seeing increased revenue as demand has steadily increased this year, particularly in Europe.
“By this month, every major company will be in play,” Ajamil said. “Not all their ships. One at a time, two, or three. But by the end of the year, most of the companies will be back at full service.”
In addition to the return of cruise routes in some parts of the world, Ajamil showed infection rates aboard the ships have been very low.
With most major operators nearing a return, the industry’s COVID-19 protocols will be a central question.
Ajamil says most companies have different standards, with some requiring a negative COVID test to board, and others
“There’s no uniform thinking in this, and in fact things are changing dramatically from day to day,” he said.
He cited Carnival cruise, which recently backtracked on its vaccination stance, saying most recently they will require passengers to have received their shot more than two weeks before boarding.
While Ajamil is overall optimistic about the cruise industry’s prospects moving forward, he cautions against anyone who thinks things will look exactly like they did pre-pandemic.
“It won’t (look the same), and the ability to have plans that now extend well into the future and that allow you to take this hit again if it were to happen is really critical for everybody and their business.”
