World’s divers urge CIG to stop port
Coral reefs of the Cayman Islands
(CNS): The international body which represents the world’s diving industry is urging the Cayman government not to press ahead with plans for a cruise berthing facility in George Town as they warn about the economic as well as the environmental disaster the project will herald.
Writing to the Department of Environment Thursday, just ahead of the closure of the consultation period today, DEMA said: “We fear the environmental damage will irreparably harm Grand Cayman’s reputation and future as a premier diving destination.”
The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) is a non-profit trade group representing recreational dive and snorkel consumer and business interests all over the world. While DEMA would be expected to support the preservation of the marine environment, especially coral reefs, it is also very concerned about economic losses. As Cayman is one of the birthplaces of recreational dive travel and a premier location for US divers, DEMA has added its voice to those who believe that the revenue losses for the dive and watersports sector will not be outweighed by any possible financial gain from the construction of piers.
The uncertainty and limited economic benefits from the cruise berthing project is set against certain major economic loss to far more businesses and people resulting from the marine destruction associated with its development and the loss of dive tourism.
“From the projected requirement to destroy living coral reefs and the uncertainty regarding environmental and geologic impacts of the facility, to the lack of increases in disembarkation rates per hour even with the new berthing facility and loss of recreational diving, it appears that this project is not in the best economic interest of the diving or tourist industries in Cayman,” DEMA said.
Projected revenue loss from water-related tourism will be at least CI$6.5M annually, for a net present value over 20 years of more than CI$120,000,000 in addition to the even greater losses predicted during construction. With the average spend of a cruise passenger at just over CI$82 compared to the more than CI$1,100 by stayover guests, serious doubts are emerging about the financial wisdom of the piers or the project’s value for money to the wider public.
Urging government to look at enhancing its dive product rather than cruise berthing, the organisation offered statistics and research that shows a way to preserve the economic gains the country enjoys from visitors coming to enjoy the water and then grow those figures.
Pointing to a win-win with economic growth and no environmental damage, DEMA said an increase in the outreach to dive tourists arriving by air could result in a significant tourism boost. “The diving consumer is typically affluent, spends significant time at a destination when traveling to dive, and is attracted to the natural resources currently available in the Cayman Islands,” the industry experts said.
DEMA’s research reveals 38% of diving consumers from the US who visit land-based resorts such as those found on Grand Cayman earn more than $100,000 per year and half of them have a net worth between US$1 million and US$2 million.
But if the CIG goes ahead with the port plans, DEMA warns, the losses could be very significant. The loss of dive sites such as Soto’s Reef, the relocation or destruction of the Balboa and the destruction of Devil’s Grotto alone will cause a dramatic decline in stayover guests.
“A decline of just 10% in air arrivals of dive tourists for a single year would result in a projected loss of more than $CI 38,000,000 in tourism revenue,” DEMA said — and it could be worse.
“The Cayman Islands will be trading the current affluent and sustainable diving consumer for a cruise consumer who spends far less on average per visit than the diver traveling to Cayman by air. Such a trade could have devastating impacts on the number of divers visiting the Cayman Islands, with a resulting impact on the Cayman economy,” the industry body warned.
“The Cayman Islands has a unique and irreplaceable resource in their natural coral reefs. These same reefs have attracted visitors for many years, and are the basis for the attraction of recreational scuba divers and snorkelers to Cayman, as well as cruise-conveyed visitors. This attraction is so strong that Cayman became one of the first locations sought out for dive travel by participants in the recreational diving community during the fledgling years of the sport,” DEMA wrote.
The direct and indirect loss of as much as 30 acres of living reef “will be irreversible and devastating to Cayman and to the world diving community,” DEMA warned, as it urged government to stop the project.
DEMA Letter to Cayman Islands on cruise berthing facility, 2 July 2015
Registered voters can sign the petition for a referendum on the piers organized by SaveCayman.org
Category: development, Local News, Marine Environment, Science & Nature
I have to think that some people don’t understand how business work , not because the business is not on the Island that it is not contributing to the
Islands and jobs. Look at a travel agency from over seas that makes their business/money from sending people to the Islands, now is this creating jobs for the Islands and contributing to the economy YES . I THINK that some people need to broaden their vision and see how a business are made and created. Stop the blame this one , and protecting this one attitude, and think for yourself and protect your self future.
Just wah ya sayin mista sharkey?
Because I’m sure its the so incredibly concerned world divers that will come revive the Cayman economy and offer employment opportunities when we seriously degrade our cruise tourism. I’m sure the “worlds divers” hearts are all bleeding with a quivering bottom lip over this… I’m really getting tired of these doomsday quacks at every turn of our lives.. Now off to eat some Turtle in East end. Hear that world divers?
Yes, we heard it. Now we know you are an ass.
What were the environmental and economic impacts of the new ports in Nassau, USVI & St Maarten? I went on a cruise on the Oasis and came off the ship with no trouble and wondered about the impacts. I also did notice they were pretty much all the same not much distinguishing experience between the islands. I can’t say I spent a lot of money nor would I really plan to return for a stay over vacation. I am not for the port because I believe the costs far outweigh the benefits and we have to first decide what is our product! We have to significantly enhance the arrival/departure process and provide a unique memorable Caymanian experience. I did a Mediterranean cruise years ago they used tenders in Marseille and I came off the ship as well. I’m a cruiser about the destination, as long as I can get on and off the ship quickly and safely and there is something worth seeing at the destination I will always get off the ship. The only thing I could say for certain is that I had a blast and I would most certainly do another cruise. That’s the objective of the cruise industry and their the only winners which is why we have know and control OUR product!!!!
Could we please set some priorities for sustainable growth before we rush into investing in any large scale development! What do we want cayman to be? Between three large projects, the dump, the doc, the airport, we should at least have an idea of what we want this country to look, no more importantly, act like. These projects wil affect your grandchildren.
Agreed!
Sorry buddy, the issue is that our leaders can only look forward only to the next election. All projects will be started for them to campaign on “Look how many things we started, re-elect us so that we can finish the projects”.
They don’t care about 30 years from now. If they did, the dump, the airport and the cruise facility will have been built a long time ago. Also, think about the pensions fund! If they cared about the future, in wouldn’t have been in such large deficit.
3 of my kids went to live in Canada married and got children . because people like you or your boss wouldn’t pay living wages
Fear mongering article, nothing more. So we will lose 10% of air arrivals b/c of a few lost dive sites in GT? Rubbish! The premier dive sites are not even in GT. There are 100+ dive sites all over GCM, and our dive tourism will not skip a beat.
If the cayman driftwood is really concerned about our marine environment why don’t they agree to ban scuba diving which has scared off most of our fish and destroyed a lot of our coral, and is of very little benefit to CAYMANIANS.
To Anonymous 8:55
Your comment is one of the more stupid ones I have seen on this topic, clearly you have no clue what the facts are when it comes to the astounding decrease of Marine life around Cayman
I whole-heartedly agree with you, Da-wa-u-get. But that isn’t One of the more stupid remarks, it is THE stupidest remark!
So you’re saying that global warming is a lie now? No climate change. You see thats whats been wrong with this group for too long you all lie so much .You forget.
I agree with you whole heartely pure garbage. Someone should sit out in front of these 2 dive sites and count the people on dive boats. Because if they going by shore ,they only paying dive tank and wt. belt rental.US$ 5
Regrettably there is a segment of the population including MLAs who see the environment only as something to be exploited. Worrying about the snakes and scorpions on land and whatever is in the water really does not overly concern them except for the dollars they can squeeze out of the process. Be it the turtle farm or spawning groupers those who are the protectors of the environment are out numbered.
Respect to the folks at the DoE who battle this viewpoint on a regular basis.
You told us we need to make a marine park ,replenishing zone and an environmental zone. Thats been going since the 80’s. WHAT HAPPENED DIDN’T IT WORK?/?
Now you’re saying we need more restrictions. You sure you all not taking those fish and lobsters while you diving at night??
You do know that the sunset house gm is the ex dema exec right?
yes…your point is? Seems that connection would be very valuable in this instance
Who owns Sunset? Who owns the cruise ship tender company?
If you want to get your facts straight, I served on the DEMA Board of Directors from 2006 – 2012.
So that is the connection, by the way scuba divers has caused and is causing more damage to the marine enviroment than anything else.
If you seriously think that scuba divers are creating more damage than this project will then you are mistaken.
You lie, Anonymous 6:18! Otherwise, give us some proof.
All new divers need experience adjusting their neutral buoyancy. It takes time for some more then a weeks time. Without that experience they crash into the reef. Enough proof?
Our hotel and airline partners, if they were fully aware of the scope of destruction being contemplated, would have a very strong opinion not just about coral destuction and deep dredging, but how all these commercially conflicted people can occupy and chair our highest government committees. It says a lot about a country. Ironically, it flies in the face of everything Cayman Finance has done to promote independant boards, fair governance, and dispell the ongoing perception of deep-rooted cronyism and corruption in Cayman. It’s hypocritical of our gov’t to accuse Legge of treason while allowing the Port governance abomination to flourish on their watch. Even the most obvious conflicts of interest seem to elude them.
@8:57 ‘Our hotel and airline partners’? Who exactly? Airline and hotel policy is exactly the same as the cruise lines – while there’s profit to be made they’re in but as soon as it stops they’re hitting the fire exits. The determining factor is the balance sheet that keeps the shareholders happy – nothing else.
As for the dive industry, particularly PADI (I was an MSDT for 14 years), this is token environmentalism at it’s worst. I can remember diving here before the dive operators starting packing their boats with cruise shippers whose scuba skills were at best pretty iffy and when you could enjoy the experience – those days are long gone.
One of the problems developing here is the arguments are degenerating into attempts to play various sections of the tourism industry off against each other. Up to a point that may work but if you push it too hard you will lose the lot.
It would be great if PADI and other dive industry advocates were to echo these sentiments.
PADI CEO Drew Richardson also sent in a letter expressing similar concerns on July 3rd. Jeff Nadler, PADI Industry & Governmental Relations Executive.
Jeff, could you please send me a copy of that letter? Thanks…
No action on the disaster that is Mt. Trashmore yet lots of energy being devoted to the destruction of living reefs and marine parks.
What a great legacy for an elected government. Well done PPM.
dema and divers make a fair make a fair point…..
however they to have a vested economic interest in this whole debate….. and if they were so concerned with the reefs they would stop tourist diving generally which has nothing but a detrimental effect on reef health…
Let me show the difference between D.E.M.A and the ones that are for the cruise ship dock. D.E.M.A , protect the members, the environment of dive destinations around the world, they bring economic growth to places around the world . The interest of the one’s that are for the cruise ship dock is their own personal interest, and non of the above.
Really..really and why would they want to do that . Purely financial!
Can we pause for a moment. Why further do anything when our biggest concern right now is Mt. trash more. We want to bring the ships in closer so they can get a nice view of the dump?
You go to Camana bay still don’t you? I was there recently and it doesn’t seem to affect anyone at rest. or bars.
This is really sad when a organization out side of the Cayman Islands can see the economic lost and damages that would be caused by putting this cruise ship dock in , but the leaders of the Islands cannot see it. Which the ordinary people of Cayman Islands has told the Government the same thing that D.E.M.A has said. I wonder if the politicians has the Islands at heart or the $$$$$ at heart.
For most of them it’s the $$$$$, Sharkey. Plus staying in office, of course.