27 June 2007

Tourist Air Arrivals % increase/decrease:

Source: Caribbean Tourism Organization
* Not available

As most of the Caribbean region struggles to gain ground in the tourism industry Bermuda shows continued double-digit percentage growth. Among seven Caribbean destinations considered to be comparable to Bermuda, five are showing consistently declining numbers while Bermuda's tourism numbers are surging upward. A sixth destination shows low single-digit growth and only the Cayman Islands and Bermuda are seeing steady increases on a monthly basis versus last year. Bermuda is outpacing all seven destinations (see statistics provided).

The news comes to light as Minister of Tourism, Premier Dr. the Hon Ewart F. Brown is in the Caribbean attending a meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council in Grand Cayman.

The Premier said of the numbers: "We've obviously proud of the recent growth we've seen in our air and cruise arrivals. But now the hotel workers and taxi drivers and all the people who make our tourism product what it is have even more reason to hold their heads high because this undeniable surge in visitor numbers is coming at a time when our colleagues in the Caribbean are struggling. Bermuda's tourism is doing what very few others have been able to accomplish. This is no accident; this is the result of hard work."

Bermuda Hotels Association Chief Executive Officer John Harvey recently returned from a meeting of the Caribbean Hotel Association in Miami, Florida. He says the trying times facing hoteliers in the Caribbean are very difficult for them to navigate. While he reported to his colleagues that hotels in Bermuda were currently at or near 100% occupancy during the summer season, one Caribbean official was complaining of a whopping 40% decline in honeymoon travel. The declines in the Caribbean are believed to be attributed, at least partly, to less than expected attendance at the World Cup Cricket event and new passport travel requirements for Americans re-entering the United States.

Meantime, Bermuda has remained exempt from those kinds of obstacles with the help of strategic marketing and the Premier's work with airline partners on an air services development strategy.

Mr. Harvey said: "Bermuda has been fortunate to have over the last several years a respected and enviable reputation as a first class tourist resort destination which has seen our repeat business as high as 60%. With the successful introduction of lower competitive airfares, the investment in hotel renovation and refurbishments and excellent food and beverage offerings, a renewed demand commenced in 2006 shortly after the Bermuda team presented our new marketing strategies to our tourism travel business partners in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia and that momentum combined with group business has kept us pretty busy, for which we are thankful."

By all indications the beach and sizzle season is off to a roaring start with hotel occupancy numbers across the island performing extremely well. The stellar performance has the Premier, in his role as Minister of Tourism, reaffirming his call for hotel development as many of the island's hotels are filled to capacity with guests.

Premier Brown said: "This current good news is only temporary unless we capitalize on this upsurge and lay the foundation for our tourism product to grow."

On Friday, the Government's Department of Statistics will release comprehensive statistics on the local tourism industry's first quarter performance.