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Bonaire Cruise Tourism Association wants answers from Commissioner Thielman

KRALENDIJK- Bonaire Cruise Tourism Association (BCTA) has sent a letter to Commissioner Hennyson Thielman with the request to provide more clarity about the intentions when it comes to cruise tourism.

“The cruise industry on Bonaire benefits from transparency and clarity in strategic decisions that have to be made,” says BCTA.

The association is concerned about certain expressions of the Commissioner in the media and at press conferences. Specifically, BCTA wants to know what agreements Thielman has made with the Royal Caribbean shipping company, but also when it comes to respecting schedules that have been drawn up for some time.

BCTA’s concerns are linked to reports from Thielman that he wants to limit the number of visiting cruise ships to one per day. BCTA now fears that Thielman wants to intervene in the already existing planning, whereby on some days two cruise ships would moor in one day.

Aruba and Curaçao

BCTA also wants to know from Commissioner Thielman whether plans for cooperation with neighbouring islands of Aruba and Curaçao are still being pursued, for example by spreading the visits of cruise ships to achieve the goal of one ship per day. 

“Can you confirm that with new bookings that cannot go through because a boat is already planned, there is collaboration with Aruba and Curacao to find solutions, for example to be able to offer the boat a place another day of the week?” , ask BCTA in its letter of more than a week ago. The BCTA regrets that it has not yet received a response from Thielman.

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