St Kitts and Nevis tourism to double by 2027

St. Kitts and Nevis is gearing itself to become a major tourism destination with the construction of two major projects. The home-porting services for cruises, along with the Symbol of Love Monument and Museum project, is aimed at making the tourism footfall much more significant.

The home-porting in the Federation will be managed by P&O Cruises which is a parent company to MS Ariva, MS Lona as well as MS Britannia among other major cruise ships.

Both these developments are expected to bring a massive boost to the already flourishing tourism sector of the country. The beginning of the home-porting operations for P&O Cruises is expected to bring an increased footfall of passengers to the destination from all over the world.

Home-porting in St. Kitts to begin by Nov 2027

The home porting services will begin from November 2027, and this development will mark a historic shift for the destination. Instead of functioning primarily as a transit port, St. Kitts will now serve as a starting and ending point for cruise itineraries. This means passengers will fly directly into the island, spend time in hotels, dine at local restaurants, explore attractions and then board their cruise from Port Zante before returning to disembark in St Kitts at the end of their journey.

The economic activity which will be stimulated by the arrivals is expected to bring massive growth for the island’s tourism sector. Industry analysts note that home-porting significantly increases economic impact as compared to traditional cruise calls.

Notably, transit passengers typically spend only a few hours on island while homeport passengers arrive days before departure and may stay after their cruise. This will generate higher hotel occupancy, increased restaurant revenue, expanded tour bookings and stronger demand for transportation and retail services.

To support this expansion, Tourism Minster Marsha Henderson highlighted that Port Zante is undergoing major upgrades including plans for a modern cruise terminal which will be capable of handling larger passenger volumes and delivering a seamless embarkation and disembarkation experience. She added that these infrastructure investments position St Kitts as one of the emerging strategic homeport hubs in the Eastern Caribbean.

Symbol of Love Monument and Museum Project

The other major project is the Symbol of Love Monument and Museum at Fort Thomas. This one of its kind project is expected to establish St Kitts and Nevis as as a wedding destination, pushing more discerning travellers to visit the island. This US$30 million investment will redefine the tourism and heritage landscape of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew has described the project as a signature attraction which is being designed to expand the island’s cultural tourism, offering beyond beaches and cruise activity. Described as a "world-class cultural and educational landmark," the project aims to transform St. Kitts into a global tourism hub and "The Island of Love,” he added.

The project will feature two museums - Caribbean Museum of History and the International Museum as well as a monument which will serve as a place for weddings to take place. This aspect of the Symbol of Love Monument and Museum project will attract the interest of people interested in exploring the history and stories of St Kitts and Nevis and the wider Caribbean region.

With these two major projects, St Kitts and Nevis could see tourism numbers reach unprecedented levels by 2027.