By the Caribbean Journal staff

Antigua and Barbuda’s cruise industry is booming, according to recent projections from the country’s tourism ministry.

Between October and Dec. 31 of this year, the destination will receive a projected 459,138 cruise arrivals across 226 cruise ship calls.

Of those, 57 were recent additions to the schedule and 12 will be inaugural cruises from ships that have never before visited the port of St John’s.

That will bring the country’s 2017 cruise passenger total to a projected 907,172 visitors, which would be a new record or the destionation’s cruise industry.

“This great milestone would not have been possible without the hard work and investment done by the Government in upgrading our cruise facilities,” said Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Asot Michael. “In record-breaking time we lengthened the Heritage Quay pier and completed the dredging of our harbor and turning basin to safely accommodate the visiting ships.”

Several upcoming days will be single-day records for the destination, too, with more than 20,000 passengers and crew expected to arrive on eight ships on Dec. 26.