BRADES Montserrat, February 9 2011 - Figures recently released by the Government’s Statistics Department show a very strong growth in Montserrat’s tourism arrivals for the first half of 2010. For the period January to July 2010, total arrivals grew by close to 22%.
A total of 4,863 visitors came to Montserrat for the first seven (7) months of 2010, an overall increase of 866 visitors or 21.7%, when compared to the same period in 2009. This comprised of 3,141 stayover or overnight visitors, 1,029 day trippers and 693 cruise passengers. The table below provides the full details on the tourism arrival numbers:
| Visitor Type |
January - July 2009 |
January - July 2010 |
Change |
Change % |
| Stayovers |
3,391 |
3,141 |
(250) |
-7.3% |
| Day Trippers |
606 |
1,029 |
423 |
69.6% |
| Cruise |
|
693 |
693 |
|
| TOTAL |
3,997 |
4,863 |
866 |
21.7% |
While the important stayover visitor market did decline by just over 7% though for the period, there were some bright spots with this market. Namely, the growth by 3% in the number of visitors staying in paid tourist accommodations and the 11% growth in persons, within this segment, coming for leisure purposes. Additionally, while stayover visitors from two of Montserrat’s main markets, the USA and the United Kingdom, declined slightly, arrivals from the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States), Canada and Continental Europe showed good growth of 6.6%, 9.1% and 21.4% respectively.
“We are very heartened by these optimistic tourism numbers so far for 2010, especially since the tourism sector in Montserrat has been having some difficult years, mainly as a result of volcanic activity, limited access by air and sea and the significant worldwide economic downturn,” commented the Director of Tourism of the Montserrat Tourist Board, Ms. Ernestine Cassell.
“The return of limited ferry services from Antigua in December 2009, low volcanic activity from March 2010 onwards, and the strong marketing efforts from the Montserrat Tourist Board, all help to account for the increase in visitor numbers,” she added. Ms. Cassell cautioned though that, “Limited ferry services, the lack of a breakwater in our harbor in Little Bay, the withdrawal of WinAir from the Antigua air-bridge, recent increases in fares on FlyMontserrat, increases in international airfares into Montserrat’s gateway Antigua, and continued economic problems in the island’s main source markets, remain major hurdles militating against our tourism sector burgeoning the way we and our stakeholders would like to see it.”
She understated though that despite these challenges, the Montserrat Tourist Board was committed to continuing its overseas promotional, public relations and advertising efforts, as well as its product development initiatives on the island, in order to ensure further development of the tourism sector.
“We have an excellent tourism product to offer the discerning and adventurous traveller, that includes unique experiences and attractions such as volcano watching, a modern-day Pompeii, black sand deserted beaches, pristine reefs and waters, world class hiking, Irish heritage, high-quality but economical tourist accommodation, and some of the friendliest people in the world,” she concluded.
