Article by Brian Major
Two Caribbean destinations are reporting increased strong visitor arrivals for 2018, surmounting significant hurdles created by September 2017’s crippling hurricanes. Beyond their improved 2018 traveler numbers, the resurgent islands are additionally poised to achieve continued growth as the Caribbean embarks on the winter season, traditionally the region’s busiest calendar period.
Earlier this month the Cayman Islands and Grenada became the first Caribbean countries to post detailed 2018 visitor arrival figures, with both nations reporting double-digit visitor growth. Tourism authorities in the British Virgin Islands and Saint Lucia also recently issued data indicating increased 2018 arrivals.
The improved visitor totals in the Cayman Islands and Grenada are another indication travelers are returning to Caribbean destinations following the daunting hurdles the region faced in the months following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. In October Virtuoso reported a 22 percent year-over-year in winter 2018/2019 Caribbean bookings, while American Airlines and Jet Blue Airways announced expanded Caribbean servicein late 2018.
While 20 percent of the 34 Caribbean destinations reporting data to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) suffered significant damage from the 2017 storms (with Anguilla, Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten and the U.S. Virgin Islands most heavily impacted), other regional destinations, while relatively unscathed, also experienced visitor declines as many consumers chose to vacation outside of the region altogether.
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands hosted 410,984 overnight, land-based visitors in the first 11 months of 2018, said Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) officials in a statement. The total represents an 11.26 percent increase over the 418,403 visitors hosted in the same period in 2017. The figure is also the most overnight visitors in Cayman Islands history.
“The strategic efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and Department of Tourism must be continued, to ensure our islands take a holistic approach at addressing the needs of every visitor that graces our shore,” said Moses Kirkconnell, deputy premier and minister for tourism. “I look forward to ending the year with record-breaking arrivals and continuing this momentum through 2019.”
The destination’s visitor growth was particularly strong in November 2018, driven by surging U.S. arrivals. American visitors increased by 10.43 percent in November with the Southeast U.S. particularly productive, representing 19.44 percent year-over-year growth in 2018.
CIDOT officials attributed the increase in part to the addition of daily JetBlue service from Fort Lauderdale beginning in October. The Northeast region increased by 6.42 percent, complemented by flight capacity increases from JetBlue and national carrier Cayman Airways.
https://www.travelpulse.com/news/destinations/caribbean-destinations-report-increased-2018-arrivals.html