Balearic committee of experts has no voice from cruise ship industry

THE Cruise industry has in the past been a very important source of income to the Mallorcan economy even though it did see some opposition from residents who were fed up with the constant stream of tourists not just alighting for the day but travelling by air for longer holidays.
Since March the cruise industry has been devastated but companies are trying to return to carrying passengers and the latest attempt was by Royal Caribbean with their ‘cruise to nowhere’ with Quantum of the Seas setting off from Singapore, only taking residents, making no stops and sailing just in Singapore waters.
Unfortunately, despite tests before passengers were allowed one board, one developed Covid-19 during the latest sailing and all passengers were confined to their cabins whilst the vessel had to return to dock.
Despite the stories of passengers being kept on board cruise ships for weeks on end as ports closed to them during the initial outbreak, there still seems to be a sizeable number of people ready to book cruises as soon as they are back and running.
PIDEM is a Mallorcan organisation which represents more than 40 member associations and 3,000 associated companies looking after the interests of small and medium-sized companies and acting as a voice before the different international, national, regional and municipal organisations.
It has publicly stated that it now believes that the Cruise Ship Platform should be present as part of the Balearic commission of experts discussing the rebirth of the tourist industry as currently both the Yes to Cruises and APEAM (Employers’ Association of Maritime Activities Companies) have been left out.
The strategy to address the future of the region’s tourism resumption will be supported by the decisions taken by these experts and as cruises form such an important financial import to Mallorca in particular, PIDEM believes that it is short sighted not to include that industry’s voice in the decision-making process.
In addition, it is important for the safe being of local residents to be kept directly up top date with events concerning the safety measure being taken in order to ensure that passengers are healthy which means that they will not then infect those they can come in contact with.
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