More cruise ships, but no big boom in business - Falmouth business operators not impressed

While more cruise ships are now docking at the Falmouth Pier in Trelawny, because of the damage to the Ocho Rios Pier in St Ann, the spillover benefit which business operators were hoping for is not materialising.

Quincy Johnson, a 62-year-old taxi driver, who was hoping to see an extra bounce in his earnings from the increased tourist traffic, says things have not changed for him.

"Taxi operators from Ocho Rios, who had pre-booked tours to take guests to attractions outside of Falmouth, are coming down here to transport those tourists," said Johnson. "If those visitors were going to attractions here in Trelawny, we would be in line to get their business."

Johnson said the current situation is exposing the need to have more attractions in the historic Georgian town, as the scope for earning would be greater for persons from the parish who are involved in ground transportation.

"I am in a list which rotates the drivers, who are offering themselves as transport operators for visitors to the island, and today [Wednesday] is one week since I last got a job," said Johnson. Other destinations of note in Trelawny include Chukka Cove, the Martha Brae Rafters' Village, Swamp Safari, and Good Hope Estate.

Restaurant operators close to the pier say they are not seeing the expected boom either, as the visitors basically get into pre-arranged vehicles and head to Ocho Rios.

"Today we have two shops with a combined 5,000 guests, and look at the empty space in the restaurant," bemoaned the owner of the Flavaville Restaurant, which is a mere stone's throw from the pier. "Nothing has changed for us, despite the number of ships diverted to our pier."

Craft traders are also saddened by the lack of patronage from the increased traffic on the pier, which they hoped would have been their primary source of income when it was opened in 2010. They believe that if their businesses were being marketed on the ships, things would have been better for them.

Businessman Paul 'Pablo' Reid, who has established a pedicab business to transport visitors around Falmouth, said the busy days are not frequent.

"Only on days when there are name brand ships docking you get visitors coming off the ships and coming into the town," said Reid. "I don't depend on the pier to market my operations. I use TikTok, YouTube, and my website to pre-book tours."