Page 23 - TMI Special 10-11 2020 FlipBookv2

INSIDER

The Grand Port de Martinique was a finalist in Seatrade’s 2018 Port of the Year Award.

Martinique enhances its cruise and airport offer as it prepares for

cruising to return

The French Caribbean island of said Jean-Rémy Villageois, CEO of the Martinique’s expanded homeporting role.
Martinique, which is participating in Martinique Port Authority. Martinique, The airport is ensuring that all socially
the SeaTrade Global Virtual event that like many other attendees of the virtual distant measures and protocols are being
begins on Oct. 5, has heavily invested to event which is replacing the global event met. And to grow its role in homeporting,
improve, expand and upgrade its cruise canceled in April due to the coronavirus, the SAMAC—the airport’s authority—has
facilities over the past decade, reports The is joining with other stakeholders in also embarked on major improvements that
Martinique Tourism Authority. discussions on how to safely bring cruise will be ready in 2022. The projects include
The “Grand Port” in the capital of ships back to the Caribbean. a new short-haul terminal, three additional
Fort-de-France – which was a finalist in The Martinique Tourism Authority security check-points and an enlarged
Seatrade’s 2018 Port of the Year Award reports that Martinique welcomed 360,761 boarding area. The airport will also
--features a state-of-the-art passenger cruise passengers in the 2019/2020 season—21% welcome in 2022 a new 100+ room hotel—
terminal at Pointe-Simon Cruise Terminal of whom were American via 174 port calls. an added convenience and option for
and an upgraded and expanded facility at In addition to the Ports of Martinique, arriving and departing cruise passengers, a
the nearby Les Tourelles. the island offers unique anchorages for convention center with offices and nearby
The Pointe Simon Cruise Terminal luxury/boutique vessels at Anses d’Arlet, restaurants and boutiques.
in Fort-de-France is now the island’s most Le Marin, St. Pierre and Trois-Ilets. In agreement with the cruise
frequented cruise facility. It is attached “We have developed and improved companies, the national health authorities
to a promenade, Le Malecon, along the accessibility, modern amenities and have established a reinforced health
seaside that leads directly into the heart resources for passengers to offer them security system for each disembarking
of the capital city. The inauguration a safe and memorable experience,” said passenger in collaboration with the Grand
of the Plazza shopping center has also Commissioner Mousseau. Port of Martinique, to ensure the protection
enhanced the appeal of this terminal, says of both cruise passengers and local
Karine Mousseau, Martinique Tourism Airport provides homeporting population.
Commissioner. connectivity Martinique’s stakeholders are already
The Tourelles Cruise Terminal in Fort- Martinique is also looking to expand implementing sanitary protocols for its
de-France has added additional security its home-porting offer. The Aimé Césaire stay-over visitors and its local population.
lines and a new VIP room for larger home International Airport, which reopened in European and Caribbean guidelines and
ported vessels. March for specially authorized flights and protocols will be followed upon resumption
“Cruise tourism has become an in May for commercial flights between the of the cruise season.
important segment of our tourism product,” island and mainland France, is also part of

23 October/November 2020