Cayman sees record visitor arrivals
THE CAYMAN Islands welcomed over 1.3 million visitors between January and June 2018, which represents an increase of 19.52 per cent, or 214,711 visitors, when compared to the same period in 2017.
While air arrivals were up 15.9 per cent for the first half of the year, demonstrating an increase of 34,693 visitors, cruise passenger arrivals accounted for 81 per cent of the islands’ total arrivals.
This six-month performance comes on the heels of June’s record-breaking achievement as the best June on record for stayover visits and marks the 15th consecutive month of growth.
“I am very pleased that tourism performance in the Cayman Islands is registering consistent growth and continues to outpace projections,” commented deputy premier and minister for tourism, Moses Kirkconnell.
“By applying the right marketing strategies, vision and spirit of collaboration to drive performance, the Cayman Islands tourism industry has maintained impressive, oftentimes double-digit increases for a sustained period,” Kirkconnell boasted, explaining that this is helping to keep hospitality service workers employed throughout the summer and is also adding a significant boost to the islands’ economy.
Preliminary estimates from the Department of Tourism (DOT) indicate that between January and May 2018, visitor spend from cruise and stayover arrivals contributed CI $325 million to the national coffers – an increase of $45 million compared to the same period last year – and this is expected to further increase through June, revealed Kirkconnell.
Arrivals from the United States in June were up 13.89 per cent and were driven by growth in the Midwest and Southwest regions, which saw 23.67 and 21.56 per cent growth, respectively. The Northeast saw an increase of 6.59 per cent, while the Southeast and West Coast saw an increase of 9.82 per cent and 1.61 per cent, respectively.
GROWTH
Canada saw its 12th consecutive month of growth with an increase of 20.36 per cent. Additionally, as a result of the growth, the Cayman Islands and several local partners have been recognised during the first half of the year with many accolades, such as mentions in TripAdvisor’s Traveller’s Choice Awards, USA Today and Caribbean Journal.
Over the past six months, the DOT has executed a multi-faceted marketing plan to increase brand awareness and flatten seasonality while also fostering opportunities for small businesses to play a part in the tourism product. In January, DOT launched its Summer Only in Cayman promotion, which this year leveraged the islands’ position as the culinary capital of the Caribbean, and its Kid’s Culinary Capital of the Caribbean promotion.
The promotion invited families to savour the endless array of food choices available on-island by an impressive roster of local chefs, who curated epicurean experiences for even the youngest of authentic culinary seekers.
In March, DOT signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Airbnb. The memorandum provided an opportunity for cooperation on key issues such as the sharing of aggregate data the provision of information on relevant accommodations laws and regulations, which help to ensure that all guests, regardless of accommodations, experience the same quality of product. There are now over 470 properties registered with Airbnb in the Cayman Islands, and that number is expected to grow over the course of this year. Airbnb and DOT officials held a meeting for hosts on July 10 to engage this fastgrowing sector of the local tourism industry.
“It is extremely encouraging to see growth in visits for the first half of the year at a speed we have not seen since 2004,” remarked Director of Tourism Mrs Rosa Harris. “As a department, we are always looking for new, innovative ways to drive arrivals while staying true to our commitment to creating sustainable tourism policies for the benefit of our people. Through continued engagement with local stakeholders and the wider community, I am optimistic that together, we can create a national tourism plan that provides a blueprint for further successes.”