Cruise ship season in full swing

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Guatemala's cruise ship season is in full swing on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Tourism planners are optimistic about the 2009-2010 season thanks in part to the rescinding of a $10 tax that would have been applied to travelers departing the country by sea. The tax, which would have favored the Guatemala Tourist Commission, had been on the books since 2004 but was not collected until earlier this year. Tour operators and cruise ship lines vehemently opposed the tax and successfully petitioned the government to temporarily suspend its collection. In November, an exemption to the tax was officially allowed for cruise ship passengers staying in Guatemala less than 72 hours.

About 115 cruise ships carrying 200,000 passengers are expected to dock on Guatemalan shores this season. The total income generated from cruising is expected to generate $20 million to the local economy. In October 2010, Guatemala will host the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association's (FCCA) annual convention. One thousand industry professionals are expected to attend the event. FCCA research indicates about 50 percent of cruise ship travelers spending an average of 12 hours in port return to explore select destinations more in-depth.

On a somewhat sour note, a cruise ship passenger arriving at the Caribbean port of Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla was shot and killed in an armed robbery last month. It should be noted he was visiting a cemetery in the seedy port city of Puerto Barrios, which is not at all a typical tourist stop for cruise ship passengers. Cruise ship passengers are strongly advised to stick to traditional day trips in the vicinity of Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla. These include Rio Las Escobas, Amatique Bay Resort, Livingston and Rio Dulce.