According to the premier of the Grand Caymans (self-governing British Overseas Territory) Alden McLaughlin, his government was likely to place limits on the number of cruise liners and passengers that can visit the island destination when sailings resume, which is a policy shift that will have ramifications for over half a dozen major cruise companies.
McLaughlin suggested that the Cayman's residents, including business leaders, had made it clear they wanted "a more balanced approach to tourism."
The Cayman Islands are home to ~65000 people and draw annually 1,8+ million cruise tourists arriving on hundreds of liners. At times, 4 and even 5 large ships call at the destination in a single day, bringing 10000+ tourists to the territory's capital city George Town Grand Cayman.
The premier suggested that the limits on cruisers that the government might impose would not just be a short-term measure related to the efforts to keep the island safe from COVID. It would be a permanent shift in the tourism focus.
McLaughlin added that his government had decided not to proceed with the development of a cruise dock for Grand Cayman Island, something that had been controversial in the territory.
The Caymans will have to find new work for residents involved in ship cruise businesses whose jobs might be affected by a decline in cruise ship calls, he added.
Besides Grand Cayman (Port George Town), the territory's other island cruise destinations are Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.