Labadee

Labadie
Labadee
Village
Labadie

The nation of Haiti, showing Labadie

Coordinates: 19°47′11″N 72°14′44″W / 19.78639°N 72.24556°W / 19.78639; -72.24556Coordinates: 19°47′11″N 72°14′44″W / 19.78639°N 72.24556°W / 19.78639; -72.24556
Country  Haiti
Department Nord
Arrondissement Cap-Haïtien

Labadee (French: Labadie) is a port located on the northern coast of Haiti within the arrondissement of Cap-Haïtien in the Nord department. It is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. until 2050.[1] Royal Caribbean has contributed the largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti since 1986, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell their wares on the premises for a fee[2] and paying the Haitian government US$10 per tourist, increasing to US$12 in March 2015.[3]

The resort is completely tourist-oriented, and is guarded by a private security force. The site is fenced off from the surrounding area, and passengers are not allowed to leave the property. Food available to tourists is brought from the cruise ships. A controlled group of Haitian merchants are given sole rights to sell their merchandise and establish their businesses in the resort. Although sometimes described as an island in advertisements, it is actually a peninsula contiguous with the island of Hispaniola. The cruise ship moors to the pier at Labadee capable of servicing the Oasis class ships, which was completed in late 2009.[4]

Attractions include a Haitian flea market, beaches, watersports, a water-oriented playground, an alpine coaster, and a zip-line.[5]

Etymology

The location is named after the marquis de La Badie, a Frenchman who first settled the area in the 17th century. The peninsula and a village were named Labadie.[6] The cruise company spells the name "Labadee" to make it easier for English-speakers to pronounce.[6]

History

The Freedom of the Seas moored in Labadee

In 1991, a journalist revealed that passengers who disembarked at the location were not informed they were in Haiti.[7][8]

In November 2001, a crew member from the luxury cruise line Royal Caribbean was attacked on Labadee in an apparent robbery. The assailants were arrested by Haitian police.[9]

Labadee beach, close to Cap-Haïtien

In February 2004, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended use of the stop due to political unrest in the country.[10] However, Royal Caribbean has since returned to using this private port.

In 2009, Royal Caribbean made US$55 million improvements to the facilities, including upgrading port facilities to allow docking of their largest cruise ships.[11]

In January 2010, just after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Royal Caribbean decided to continue its luxury cruises to the private port. The corporation announced it would be donating US$1 million to fund relief efforts in Haiti, and to use cruise ships to ferry relief supplies and personnel.[12]

In January 2016, local Haitians in boats peacefully but noisily blocked the port, in protests against the current Haitian government and upcoming elections. Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas cancelled their port stop on January 19 as a result.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Haiti:The island and the outside world". www.economist.com. The Economist. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Could this paradise really be poor, desperate Haiti?". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  3. ↑ "Haiti's local community to benefit from additional fee from cruise passengers". Haitian Caribbean News Network. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  4. ↑ "Labadee". www.expedia.com. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  5. ↑ "Labadee". The Washington Post. 2007-01-21. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  6. 1 2 Cruise Travel - Google Books
  7. ↑ AIDS and Accusation: Haiti and the Geography of Blame, Updated with a New ... - Paul Farmer - Google Boeken
  8. ↑ Last Resorts: The Cost of Tourism in the Caribbean - Polly Pattullo - Google Boeken
  9. ↑ RCI Crew Member Attacked in Labadee
  10. ↑ "CRUISES / Sittin' on the dock of the Gulf". The San Francisco Chronicle. 2004-02-27.
  11. ↑ Robert Booth (2010-01-17). "Cruise ships still find a Haitian berth". The Guardian. London.
  12. ↑ Robert Booth, “Cruise ships still find a Haitian berth” (20.1.2010) The Guardian
  13. ↑ Millennial Cruiser
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