BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Caribbean tourism broke new ground in 2016, surpassing 29 million arrivals for the first time ever, and once again growing faster than the global average.

"Despite political, security and economic uncertainties and challenges in our main source markets, tourist arrivals to the Caribbean increased by 4.2 percent in 2016, better than the 3.9 percent overall internationally," Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) High Riley announced today in presenting the Caribbean Tourism Performance Report 2016.

"Encouragingly, we welcomed over one million more visitors last year than in 2015, to reach 29.3 million, continuing our proud record of continuous growth for the seventh straight year," he told a news conference held at CTO headquarters, and streamed to a global audience.

Visitor expenditure also hit a new high, growing by an estimated 3.5 percent to reach US$35.5 billion.

CTO's Acting Director of Research Ryan Skeete (left) and Secretary General Hugh Riley at today's news conference— Photo by CTOCTO's Acting Director of Research Ryan Skeete (left) and Secretary General Hugh Riley at today's news conference— Photo by CTO
CTO's Acting Director of Research Ryan Skeete (left) and Secretary General Hugh Riley at today's news conference— Photo by CTO

The United States remained the Caribbean's primary market with an estimated 14.6 million stay-over arrivals, up 3.5 percent on 2015.

However, it was Europe that recorded the highest rate of growth among the main source markets, led by strong increases from Germany (8.2 per cent) and the United Kingdom (4.1 percent).

"Despite terrorist attacks in some countries, the Brexit referendum in the UK and bumpy economic outcomes across continental Europe, arrivals from that market climbed by 11.4 percent, to reach 5.6 million. The strong European performance was evident by the healthy increases of between six and 16.8 percent in each month, compared to the corresponding month in 2015," Mr. Riley said.

Intra- Caribbean travel also so performed well, recording a 3.6 percent increase - the second straight year of growth - despite costly and fragmented air service.

Canada, normally a robust market for the Caribbean, recorded a decrease for the first time since 1994, and only the second contraction since 1982. The 3.3 million arrivals from that market represented a 3.4 per cent drop when compared to 2015.

The South American market also contracted by 10.6 percent, mainly due to political instability in two of the main sources.

The CTO secretary general also revealed that cruise arrivals grew at a slower pace of 1.3 percent to approximately 26.3 million, while the hotel sector recorded negative growth, with all hotel indicators contracting, with the exception of the number of available rooms, which grew by just over one percent, according to Smith Travel Research.

Regarding the outlook for 2017, the CTO predicts increases of 2.5 and 3.5 percent in long-stay arrivals and increases of between 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent in cruise passenger arrivals.

About The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados, offices in New York and London and representation in Canada, is the Caribbean's tourism development agency comprising membership of the region's finest countries and territories including Dutch, English, French and Spanish-speaking, as well as a myriad of private sector allied members. The CTO's vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year-round, warm weather destination, and its purpose is Leading Sustainable Tourism - One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.

Among the benefits to its members the organization provides specialized support and technical assistance in sustainable tourism development, marketing, communications, advocacy, human resource development, event planning & execution and research & information technology.

Johnson JohnRose
CTO
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Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)