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26th
January 2010
Heralding
the Cruise Industry’s support of Haiti
Tourism,
development and business leaders are hailing
a difficult decision by Royal Caribbean Cruises,
one of Haiti’s largest foreign investors,
to resume calls on Labadee, Haiti, as the Caribbean
nation battles to recover from last week’s
devastating earthquake that might have claimed
the lives of more than 200,000 citizens of the
poorest country in the hemisphere.
“We may have had our differences of opinion
about the true value of the cruise industry
to Caribbean destinations - but there is absolutely
no doubt in our minds of the enormous economic
and psychological value of Royal Caribbean’s
resumed cruises to Haiti ,” said Lelei
LeLaulu, a director of the Caribbean Media Exchange
on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx).
François Guillaume Jr., executive director
of the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce
of Florida, who survived the quake after leaving
the now flattened Hotel Montana minutes before
it collapsed, asserted, “we need the cruise
industry more than ever to continue visiting
Haiti .”
Guillaume noted in the wake of such a complex
emergency, “We need to pursue all avenues
of economic development and I support the stance
of the cruise industry not only to sail to our
shores, but for delivering important disaster
relief assistance.”
Guillaume was in Haiti encouraging investors
to pursue economic development opportunities
in the country. While Guillaume and another
business associate escaped the quake, rescuers
continue to look for his American colleague
Leroy Strickland who was at the hotel at the
time of the disaster.
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Former Chairman
of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, Senator
Allen Chastanet, Saint Lucia ‘s Minister
for Tourism and Civil Aviation, said “Hundreds
of people are earning money from the resumed
cruises and thousands more family members
and local businesses are benefiting from this
infusion of cruise company cash.”
Minister Chastanet, who has worked in travel
and tourism marketing and development, saw
another plus for resumed cruises so soon after
the earthquake: “Importantly for the
devastated people of Haiti , the resumption
of the cruises is a huge morale booster because
it signals to the world that ‘we are
back in business’”.
Meanwhile, LeLaulu further stated: “The
cruises are businesses, sure, but remember
these businesses were quick to respond. Carnival
Cruise Lines unhesitatingly gave US $5 million
to Haiti relief, the most generous corporate
donation so far and one which will spur other
companies to contribute.”
Taking an active part in the relief efforts,
Royal Caribbean is donating more than US $2
million, and its profits from the Labadee
stops.
The Caribbean Media Exchange provides a neutral
platform for the continuing discussion of
the key linkages between media, government,
private sector and civil society in ensuring
tourism enhances the health, environment,
education, culture, and wealth of destinations
in a climate-friendly fashion.
Discuss
Story
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