Tourism passes pre-9/11 figures

Pilar Bush	Hon McKeeva Bush

by Alan Markoff

Monday, August 30, 2004

For the first time since the 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States, Cayman Islands tourist arrival figures surpassed those for a corresponding month in the year prior to the attack.

During July, 33.118 visitors arrived by air, surpassing the 32,255 that came here in July 2001. This year’s figure represented a 25-percent increase over the same month in 2003.

For the year, air arrivals are up 14.46 percent. Should that percentage of increase continue through the rest of 2004, the total number of air arrivals for the year will surpass that of 2001 by a slight amount, and both 2002 and 2003 by a significant amount.

The Minister of Tourism, the Hon McKeeva Bush said that the tourism turnaround was a result of a patient and structured approach. “We put money into proper advertising, putting the Cayman Islands back on US television,” he said. “That coupled with the way we enhanced Cayman Airways has made a big difference. Our efforts are beginning to pay off. Our programmes are working.”

Acting Director of Tourism, Pilar Bush said the Cayman Summer Splash, a joint promotion between the public and private sector had been a big factor. “This is evidence of what is possible when excellent marketing meets a great product at a value-based price,” she said.

Cruise arrivals actually decreased by 7.5 percent in July when compared to last year, as 122,967 came to shore for the month. The decrease ended a streak of ten straight record setting months.

For the year, however, cruise tourism remains up by more than 12 percent, and the figures for year are still on pace to surpass the two million cruise visitors mark for the first time in Cayman Islands history.

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