Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine October 2018 | Page 274

Dominica Update - One Year Post Hurricane Maria
One year after Hurricane Maria devastated Dominica, the island nation is rebounding.
A Carnival ship, berthed at the Roseau Cruise Terminal in Dominica. Carnival is one of several
cruise lines planning calls to Dominica in 2018 and 2019.
“A growing share of affected residents can say their
lives are back on track or almost back to normal after
the hurricane,” said Colin Piper, Director of Tourism.
“The progress made this past year represents a
milestone in the recovery process during which the
people of Dominica – and the natural environment
itself – have shown their resilience and indomitable
spirits.” Island updates include:
ACCESS
Dominica’s airports – Douglas-Charles and
Canefield – are fully open for commercial
operations with same-day connectivity with
international carriers to and from Douglas-Charles.
The ferry service operated by L’Express des Iles is
also available. A new ferry service, Val Ferry, began
operating between Dominica and Guadeloupe in
August 2018. Val Ferry runs a weekly schedule with
seating capacity of 400.
Cruise tourism continues to generate significant
economic activity. Dominica hosted 33 cruise ships
for the 2017-2018 season (out of 219 expected cruise
visits prior to Hurricane Maria).
Since July 2018, Carnival Fascination began making
bi-weekly stops to Dominica and will continue
until November 2018. A total of 181 cruise calls – or
304,031 passengers – are projected for the 2018-
2019 cruise season.
Roadways are also open for all vehicles across the
island, yet travellers are advised to be cautious
as road repair work is still ongoing in some areas.
Public transportation, taxi services and car rentals
are all available on the island.