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BARBADOS -- Barbados Tourism and Marketing Inc., a government entity, has projected cruise ship tourist arrivals to reach 840,000 by December. According to B.T.M., the projected number represents a slight increase year on year; in 2018, cruise ship tourist arrivals peaked at 826,000, according to BTM.
B.T.M. Director Cheryl Franklin said the projection represented a flat performance year on year. However, the numbers over the recent years have shown steady, if slow, growth. In 2017, there were 725,000 cruise ship tourist arrivals, Ms. Franklyn said.
Barbados's 2019-2020 cruise ship season began in earnest last week. On Thursday, the island saw four major cruise vessels carrying a total of 12,000 passengers.
The numbers represent a new trend in the cruise line industry, as companies build larger vessels accommodating more tourists.
