by Brian Major
Last updated: 4:45 PM ET, Wed September 4, 2024
Tourism growth – in land and sea visitor arrivals,
accommodations development and infrastructure building – is in focus for
Caribbean destinations attending this week’s State of the Industry Conference
hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).
Several countries, including the Cayman Islands, the
conference’s host nation, and Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and the
U.S. Virgin Islands all reported increased year-over-year visitor arrivals growth.
At the same time, first-half cruise arrivals were higher
for several countries. Regional tourism officials also provided updates on new
and continuing expansion projects at air and cruise ports.
“This is a critical time for tourism in the region as we
welcome new and increased airlift and cruise calls to our destinations,” said
Ian Gooding-Edghill, the Barbados tourism minister, who was elected CTO’s
chairman during the conference. Gooding-Edghill replaces Kenneth Bryan, the
Cayman Islands tourism minister, in the role.
ANGUILLA
One of the Caribbean’s smallest islands welcomed 47,097
overnight land-based visitors between January and April of this year, a 15
percent year-over-year increase. Tiny Anguilla is in the midst of a large-scale
tourism expansion fueled by growing air links.
This year, American Airlines added a third weekly direct
flight from Miami to Anguilla, which will operate between December and March
2025. American Airlines established the first direct flights from the U.S. in 2021and now operates 11 weekly flights to the country.
Anguilla has also broken ground on a new passenger terminal
at Clayton Lloyd International Airport, with completion expected in the fall of
2025.
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
The dual-island nation posted a 16 percent year-over-year
arrivals increase to 205,004 visitor arrivals, which also represents an 11
percent increase over pre-pandemic 2019.
American Airlines, JetBlue, Delta, United and WestJet are
all expanding flights and increasing connectivity, said Colin James, CEO of the
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.
Cruise arrivals also trended higher, as 561,485 travelers
arrived at Antigua and Barbuda aboard cruise ships, a 28 percent year-over-year
increase.
The country is also poised to increase the homeporting of
cruise ships, James said, as it will also build a new cruise port terminal to
begin in October, with completion expected during the 2025/2026 season.
BARBADOS
The southern Caribbean nation reported 431,798 overnight,
land-based arrivals for the period January to July 2024, representing an
increase of 16 percent over 2023. The United Kingdom has traditionally been
Barbados’ largest market and remains so, however U.S. arrivals surged during
the first half of 2024, totaling 140,476 visitors, a 40 percent increase over 2023.
The country’s visitor growth is tied to expanding air
service. Beginning in November, American Airlines will launch a daily non-stop
service from New York’s JFK airport; the airline will also start a
Saturday-only service from Philadelphia and will expand its service from Boston
to three times weekly.
Following a seven-year absence, Delta Air Lines will launch
daily service to Barbados from Atlanta beginning in November. Delta will also
launch a Saturday-only service from New York in December. Both services will
operate through April 2025.
Meanwhile, Barbados’ Bridgetown cruise port hosted 278 ship
calls carrying 482,050 passengers between January and July, an 11 percent
increase over 2023. The port will add an additional berth that will open during
the winter season.
The Cayman Islands recorded sharply higher visitor arrivals in the first half of 2024. At the Crystal Caves on Grand Cayman. (Photo by Brian Major)
CAYMAN ISLANDS
The Cayman Islands reported 250,699 overnight, land-based visitors
between January and June, the country’s third highest-ever visitation in the first
half of any year, trailing only 2018 and 2019. The 2024 total represents a 6.5
percent compared to 2023.
The country this year reached a milestone with 8,082 hotel
rooms, the most in its history. Recent openings include Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman
and luxury boutique property VIDA.
On the cruise front, the Cayman Islands is one of a handful
of Caribbean countries to record a decline in 2024 cruise visitation, as the
country’s lack of a cruise pier has led cruise operators to deploy their
ever-larger ships away from the destination.
The country has scheduled a referendum on the construction
of a cruise ship berthing facility, said Kenneth Bryan, the country’s
tourism minister. The government withdrew a $250 million proposed cruise port
project in 2019 amid intense opposition from local environmental groups.
OTHER DESTINATIONS
Dominica recorded 306,601 cruise during its 2023/2024
cruise season, an 11 percent increase over previous year. The country set a new
record in December 2023 with 71,000 cruise visitors.
Sint Maarten’s Princess Juiliana Airport recorded a 16
percent year-over-year increase in passenger arrivals during the first four months
of 2024.
Additionally, the Turks and Caicos’ airline capacity increased
significantly between January and July, “indicating a robust growth in air
travel demand” for the destination, according to Turks and Caicos minister of
tourism Josephine Connolly.
The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) expects to record a 24
percent increase in airlift arrivals in 2024 over 2023. In addition, the USVI
is expected to see an eight percent increase in cruise passenger arrivals in
2024.
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