GEORGE TOWN,
Grand Cayman -- The Cayman Islands will have 95% of its hotel room
inventory, 65% of its condominium/apartment units and 76% of its
guest house accommodations back in operation by next month,
according to Charles Clifford, minister of tourism.
Those percentages
represent a combined total of 80% of all room stock that had been
damaged by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004. By March 2006, the
combined room total will be 93%, according to Clifford, who said
that all references to "pre-Ivan room stock" would now
cease.
"From today forward we will
work with the room stock we have, we will develop strategies which
will fill those rooms and, with our private sector partners, [we
will] encourage tourism investment in the Cayman
Islands."
Other initiatives
announced by Clifford include: redevelopment of Owen Roberts
International Airport on Grand Cayman, beginning next year; a
cruise port development project to reduce congestion of ships and
passengers in George Town, also on Grand Cayman; and to set up
alternate ports on Grand Cayman when bad weather prevents access to
George Town harbor.
In addition,
Clifford said that the government will "aggressively" pursue
berthing facilities to give passengers more time onshore and easier
access on and off the cruise ships.
To contact
reporter Gay Nagle Myers, send e-mail to [email protected].