It wasn’t too long ago St. Kitts was known more for its dramatic landscape, sugarcane plantations, and rustic charm. All that is still there, but eclipsed by a tourism industry engaged in a previously-unthinkable construction and passenger arrival boom.

St. Kitts narrowly missed last summer’s hurricanes, meaning all resources could be put toward building a second pier at Port Zante. The 18-month project, able to handle Oasis-class ships, will be finished in time for the 2019 cruise season.

While the boom business is great, St. Kitts has set a cap of 1.5 million in any given year, said Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce, Lindsay F.P. Grant, to ensure the integrity of their product doesn’t suffer.

“The second pier is intended to improve the arrival and departure experience of guests who have had to tender from vessels in the absence of the second pier, rather than to pursue large-mass passenger arrivals,” Grant said.

But they may be breaking their own rules this season. From October to October 2017-2018, St. Kitts projects 1,500,993 passengers on 596 calls. Some of those calls may be spillover as lines rescheduled away from damaged ports.

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