BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – RESULTS from the fourth fiscal quarter of 2009 for the region’s tourism sector have revealed a “cause for optimism” and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has already projected growth in 2010.
The regional tourism organization announced that recent trends of visitor arrivals portend moderate growth across the region. Although the global economic crisis weakened the tourism sector significantly in the past two years, CTO Director of Research and Information Technology Winfield Griffith expects tourism to grow by three percent in 2010 if the world continues on its current recovery.
According to a CTO press statement issued yesterday (Feb. 10), about 22.1 million people visited the Caribbean in 2009, a hard-hitting decrease of some 800 000 persons from the previous year. However, “positive trending” observed throughout 2009 have made a 2010 rebound in the sector more likely.
“Although aggregate tourist arrivals to the 33 CTO member countries declined by 3.6 % in 2009, quarterly data showed successive improvements during the year. The first quarter saw a 6.6 % decline in visitation, yet that percentage dropped to 6.0% in the second quarter, 2.0% in the third quarter and then actually saw an increase in year-over-year visitation of 1.0% in the fourth quarter,” Griffith explained.
Additionally, a 1.4% increase in overall cruise visitor arrivals in the region has brought a much-needed reverse from the dismal 3% decline witnessed in 2008. This increase, according to the CTO Director of Research, is attributed to an “aggressive marketing drive” of the cruise lines coupled with price specials.
CTO Secretary General Hugh Riley also confirmed the positive projection as he noted that a successful 2010 is within reach.
“We, along with our destination, hotel and cruise partners have continued to promote the region and we feel that in an increasingly hectic world with all the related pressures, now more than ever life needs the Caribbean and we’re here to make life easier for our visitors,” he said.
A closer look at growth expectations in St. Kitts and Nevis is expected shortly as the sector has again been assigned to Senator Richard Skerritt in the new federal Cabinet.
