Labadee
Location: 19° 47' N, 72° 14' W Region: Hispaniola Peninsula Population: 2,000 Length/Width: .48 mi long, .28 mi wide Area: 1 sq. km (260 acres) Avg Temp: 75°F - 85°F Climate: Tropical Humidity: 50% - 78% Rainfall: 54.0 inches Language: English, French, Creole Time Zone: Eastern Daylight (EDT) Money: US Dollar (USD) Commerce: Tourism Interesting Facts:Labadee is a port located on the northern coast of Haiti -- the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
Royal Caribbean International Cruise Lines (RCCL) has a lease for this tourist-only private resort until 2050, and has contributed the largest amount of tourist revenues to Haiti since 1986. RCCL employees 300 locals at the resort and also pays the Haitian government an estimated $6 (USD) per tourist (as of May, 2014). The resort is guarded by a private security force, and is fenced off from the rest of the peninsula. Passengers are not allowed to leave the property & all food and beverages are brought from the cruise ships. A controlled group of about 200 Haitian merchants pay a fee for the sole rights to sell their merchandise and establish their businesses in the resort. Prior to 2009, tender boats had to be used to transport passengers to the area from the cruise ships. In 2009 RCCL spent $55 million dollars for improvements which included a pier for mooring, a Haitian flea market, beaches, watersports, a water-oriented playground, a roller-coaster-type ride, and a zip-line. © Copyright 2008 Write Sounds Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.