Page 24 - The Summit of the Americas 2021

INSIDER

Pressure mounts on CDC to lift U.S. cruise halt

Cruise Lines International Association this multi-layered approach to enhancing others have opened or continued to operate
(CLIA), which represents 95% of global health and safety that has proven effective, throughout the pandemic.
ocean-going cruise capacity, has called making cruising one of the best and most “The outdated CSO, which was
on the Centers for Disease Control and adaptable choices for travel,” she added. issued almost five months ago, does not
Prevention (CDC) to lift the Framework for Craighead also noted “the accelerated reflect the industry’s proven advancements
Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) and allow rollout of vaccines is a game-changer in and success operating in other parts of
for the planning of a phased resumption of providing for the health and well-being of the world, nor the advent of vaccines,
cruise operations from U.S. ports by the the public, especially in the United States, and unfairly treats cruises differently.
beginning of July. The CLIA call to action where President Biden expects all adults Cruise lines should be treated the same
was issued on March 24. will be eligible for vaccinations by May 1, as other travel, tourism, hospitality,
The early-July timeframe is in 2021.” and entertainment sectors,” Craighead
line with President Biden’s forecast for Adding pressure to the CLIA plea, emphasized.
when the United States will be “closer to several major cruise lines have announced While some cruise lines have
normal,” says CLIA, and can take place plans to restart cruises from near-by ports announced a few sailings catering to those
in the light of the accelerated rollout of that will avoid sailing in U.S. waters. who have received vaccinations, CLIA
vaccines in the U.S. Royal Caribbean will be sailing its Vision does not currently have a policy related to
“Over the past eight months, a highly- of the Seas from a home port in Bermuda vaccines. The organization and its members
controlled resumption of cruising has beginning in June, and its Adventure of the are exploring a workable approach for
continued in Europe, Asia, and the South Seas from a home port in Nassau in The how to consider vaccinations, once widely
Pacific—with nearly 400,000 passengers Bahamas. RCL-owned Crystal Serenity available, as part of robust protocols.
sailing to date in more than 10 major cruise will also offer a series of Bahamas-only According to CLIA, restarting cruises
markets. These voyages were successfully cruises this summer from a base in Nassau. as part of the broader travel industry
completed with industry-leading protocols The Celebrity Millennium will begin will provide a much-needed boost to the
that have effectively mitigated the cruising from a home port in St. Maarten. U.S. economy—with the cruise industry
spread of COVID-19. Additional sailings Following the industry’s voluntary supporting nearly 450,000 American
are planned in the Mediterranean and suspension of operations one year ago, jobs and contributing over $55.5 billion
Caribbean later this spring and summer,” cruise lines have been prevented from annually, prior to the pandemic.
said Kelly Craighead, CLIA’s President and operating in the U.S. by a series of “No Based on economic modeling by
CEO. Sail Orders” issued by the CDC. The CSO research firm BREA, more than 300,000
CLIA notes that the very small Framework was issued last October, but jobs have been lost in the United States due
fraction of reported COVID cases (fewer since then the CDC has not released any to the suspension of cruises. The majority
than 50 based on public reports) is further guidance, as called for in the CSO, of those impacted are independent business
dramatically lower than the rate on land or to support the resumption of U.S. cruise owners or individuals employed by small-
in any other transportation mode. operations. to medium-sized businesses—including
“The cruise industry has adopted a The lack of any action by the CDC travel agents, taxi drivers, port employees,
high bar for resumption around the world has effectively banned all sailings in the baggage handlers, and longshoremen,
with a multi-layered set of policies that largest cruise market in the world. Cruising as well as airline, hotel, and restaurant
is intended to be revised as conditions is the only sector of the U.S. economy workers.
change. Our Members continue to follow that remains prohibited, even as most

Cuban tourism hard hit by pandemic:
plummets 95% in early 2021 compared to same period of 2020

Tourist arrivals to Cuba decreased of February 2020, said Perelló. Before detecting the first cases of
by 95.5% during January and February Cuba’s Ministry of Tourism reported COVID-19 in the country, the tourism
compared to the same period last year, in early 2021 that just over one million industry accounted for more than 10% of
reports Travel Trade Caribbean, quoting international travelers arrived in Cuba last the Cuban gross domestic product.
Professor José Luis Perelló Cabrera of year, well below the 4.5 million expected The revival of tourism in Cuba will
the Tourism Faculty at the University of before the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. depend on the control of the pandemic at
Havana. Cuba surpassed the one million tourist the domestic level and the success of the
During the first two months of 2021, figure in 1996. It reached a record 4.7 vaccination programs in Canada, Spain,
some 35,600 international travelers arrived million visitors at the close of 2017, even Germany, England, and France, the main
on the island, representing only 4.5% of the with the strengthened U.S. blockade during markets that send tourists to the country,
792,507 foreign visitor arrivals at the end the Trump Administration’s first year. Perelló commented.

The Virtual Summit of the Americas Issue April 2021 24