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The cruise tourism season kicked into high gear today. It got off to a promising start because for the first time in a long while, three cruise ships docked off the coast of Belize City on a Wednesday. But more than that, Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Sea, Holland America’s Ryndham, and Carnival’s Valor brought with them 9 thousand tourists. So you can understand why the mood was a bit festive in the tourism village today. In fact, we even heard music! Except it sounded like the blues....Keith Swift has the story.

Keith Swift Reporting,
The 9,000 thousand tourists had the Fort Street Tourism Village buzzing and bustling. Tour guides and vendors say it’s been a bad year and they hope the boatloads of tourists seen filing off catamarans are a sign of good things to come.

Herbert Eagan, Tour Operator
“Right now we’ve experienced bad days earlier so we want to see what the jump will be like. Today is one of the first days that we got three ships in and we hope it will be better than last year.”

Keith Swift,
“Last year’s season wasn’t good?”

Herbert Eagan,
“Well every year it is just declining and we can see a decline, you see how the world market is so we can say that things are just going down.”

Sana Mortis, Wet Lizards
“It’s finally here. We’ve been in the slow season for a minute now and the high season will be a big relief to a lot of us because a lot of people really depend on it right and I think it’s a good thing – finally it’s here.”

But don’t tell that to the vendors in the flea market outside the Tourism Village. They are normally the low cost alternative to the more expensive stores inside the Tourism Village. The outside vendors are known for these homemade trinkets and jewellery. Donatilo Chun is an artist turned vendor. Even though 9,000 tourists came - today like most days was slow for Chun. That is because unlike inside the village, the flea market wasn’t bustling -forcing vendors to hustle.

Gary Baltazar who has been performing in the flea market for 7 years was on the frontline.

Gary Baltazar, Performer
“When I first did this I was making a lot of money but now I am not making a lot of money like before and I think that it will happen again.”

Keith Swift,
“How has it been going so far today?”

Gary Baltazar,
“Today well to be honest with you, it’s a little bit slow even though it is just three ships out there but it is a little bit slow but I still won’t give up.”

Keith Swift,
“You expected more people to be here?”

Gary Baltazar,
“I think that there should be more people yes because like I said before there are three ships out and barely people are walking around. Most people aren’t making money right now and doing business, only the people inside because most people are inside.”

Donatilo Chun, Vendor
“I am hoping that the people that come in the cruise lines would buy more. I believe something should happen like in the cruise ships. I think we as Belizean artists, we are the citizens and we are voters. I think somebody in the government concerning tourism should promote us on cruise ships.”

Randolph Andrewin, Vendor
“I hope that it will get better because right now everybody just struggling right now and some people make it sometimes and some people don’t make it too good. For me I am struggling right now so this season I expect it to maybe get a little better but I don’t know.”

Keith Swift,
“9,000 tourists are here today. Are you feeling it, are you seeing increased business?”

Randolph Andrewin,
“Well so far it looks good but it is all about if they spend.”

And that is why vendors don’t need a big cruise day like today to look good –they need it to be good.

Liberty of the Seas is the largest cruise ship that has dropped anchor in Belize. It carries close to five thousand guests and will only visit Belize every other Wednesday. Tomorrow the Norwegian Spirit and Carnival Legend will dock. The next big cruise day will be next Wednesday when four ships are scheduled to visit.