This season, there is expected to be an increase in cruise ship calls to St Vincent and the Grenadines, over the previous two years.{{more}}

Minister of Tourism, Cecil McKie on Tuesday said that 198 port calls are expected to be made during the 2012 – 2013 season.

This is up from the 190 calls that were made in the 2011 – 2012 season, the minister said.

Of the 198 expected visits, 49 calls will be made to mainland St Vincent; this number was compared to 40 made last year.

Bequia is expected to receive 56 calls this year, up from 54 last year; the figures for Union Island will remain the same at 17; Mayreau is also expected to see no change in the number of calls and remains at 43.

There is a slight decline in the number of calls that will be made to the Tobago Cays; where 31 calls are expected this year, 36 were made during the 2011 – 2012 season.

“It means therefore that we are beginning to see a pick up,” the minister said.

The figure for cruise ship calls during the 2010 – 2011 season was 126 McKie pointed out.

“So, the numbers are increasing significantly.”

The minister also announced that three inaugural calls will be made this season.

He said that that the “Vision of the Seas” with a capacity of 2,435, will make three calls;, “Riviera” (1,250) will make two calls; and Kristina Katarina (380) will make two calls.

This, therefore, means that tourism stakeholders and Vincentians at large are expected to do their part to ensure that visitors feel welcome, McKie said.

The first cruise line for the season visited Bequia on Wednesday. (DD)