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NEW YORK, Jun 06 2016 – The chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation expects tourist arrivals to the Caribbean to break the 30 million barrier for the first time this year.
The region posted a record 28.7 million arrivals in 2015.
Speaking at Caribbean Week New York Richard Sealy said there was a 7.3 percent increase on the first quarter of 2016 with eight destinations recording double digit growth.
“This performance was buttressed by lower oil prices and the strong US dollar, which increased the appeal of the region to potential visitors. The many air service agreements ensured that the region had adequate seats to facilitate the flow of travelers to and within the region, Sealy said.
There was an increase of 11percent from Europe while intra-regional trips were up nearly 13 percent.
Overall the CTO predicts growth of up to 5.5 percent this year.
This is despite the still growing fears over the Zika virus which was a major topic of discussion at the event.
The CTO chairman sought to allay fears especially as some Caribbean nations have not been affected at all.
“I understand the question of perception especially for visitors who may be thinking of starting a family or adding to a family but the statistical reality is that the incidence of Zika has been quite minimal in the Caribbean. We have members of CTO that haven’t had a single case, Sealy said.
“There are people who come to the region for the very reason that they’re convinced that our infrastructure, as far as health is concerned, is strong.”
