Antigua tourism arrivals surpass pre-pandemic level
Antigua and Barbuda’s steady tourism rebound continued as stayover tourism arrivals for July 2022 topped the July 2019 pre-pandemic record.
The Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism reported a rise in arrivals of 7% for July against benchmark year 2019.
During the month, Antigua and Barbuda welcomed 24,673 visitors to the destination, an increase over 2021’s 23,405 and the 2019 record of 23,031.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism The Honourable Charles Fernandez said, “For a second year, we are experiencing a healthy summer season as consumer travel confidence grows.”
“One group from the US, brought in approximately five hundred visitors travelling to enjoy our summer events. We are optimistic that we will maintain this strong position of growth into August.”
An influx of visitors from the US contributed to the increase with arrivals 30% higher than in July 2019.
There was also growth within the UK market, with an increase of 5% in tourism arrivals for the month over 2019.
Arrivals stood at 5,650 in comparison to the 5,378 in 2019.
Arrivals from Canada grew by 1% while the intra-Caribbean market saw a decline of 19%.
The Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association reported occupancies of 63% across a sample of their hotel members.
The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is attributing the 7% growth in air arrivals for the month July 2022, when compared to July 2019, to increased airlift, aggressive destination marketing, and easier travel protocols.
CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Colin C. James said: “Antigua and Barbuda is presently listed amongst the top ten Caribbean destinations leading the Caribbean tourism recovery efforts.”
“Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism rebound prospects are looking positive, particularly when we consider global tourism forecasts.”
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