Tourism arrivals show increase
Cayman Island Department of Tourism
36,225 air arrivals came to the Cayman Islandsin June 2000, increasing 8.19% or 2,741 people compared to lastJune. This represents a net gain of 3,593 stay-over visitors,or 1.68%, for the first six months of 2000 when compared to thesame period in 1999. Cruise arrivals for June 2000 were 66,197,a decrease of 0.80% compared to June 1999 - year to date, cruisearrivals increased by 4.74%, a net gain of 26,354 passengers comparedto the first six months of 1999.
In June 2000, the New York and chicago Regions, representing 73.4%of the 1999 US market share, respectively posted a gain of 41.21%and a loss of 1.60% compared to June 1999. Year-to-date thesetwo regions represent a net gain of 2,128 people (1.27%) whencompared to the first six months of 1999.
Arrivals from the Miami region, representing much of the southernUS with 10.3% of the 1999 US market share, have improved eventhough the region had been greatly affected by the booming cruiseindustry. June 2000 arrivals from the region increased by 4.25%compared to June 1999 while year-to-date there has been a gainof 1.01%, or 278 people, when compared to the same six monthslast year.
The Houston and Los Angeles regions, representing 9.9% and 6.4%of the 1999 US market share, showed increases of 7.46% and 6.50%,respectively, for the first six months of 2000 when compared tothe same period last year. together, these regions had a net gainof 2,464 people, or 7.14%.
All together, air arrivals from the USA posted a gain of 3,204people for June 2000 over June 1999. Year-to-date, 162,095 airarrivals from the US have visited cayman, a gain of 2.51%, or3,971 people, compared to the first six months of 1999.
Canadian arrivals into Cayman have been exceptionally strong sofar this year and continue to be heavily influenced by Ontariotraffic - the tenth largest state/province arrival producer inNorth America, which alone increased by 8.07% for June 2000 comparedto June 1999. Overall, air arrivals for Canada increased by 7.15%in June 2000 compared to June 1999. Canadian stay-over touristscontinue on a steady growth trend and have increased 11.35% year-to-dateover the same period last year, representing 11,548 total Canadianvisitors to Cayman so far this year.
Increased competition, as well as the reduced 777 service to Cayman,has kept arrivals from europe at bay thus far in 2000. Arrivalsfrom continental Europe* declined by 10.45%, or 590 people inthe first six months of this year compared to the same periodlast year. Arrivals from the UK decreased 15.89% in June 2000compared to June 1999.Overall, the UK was down for the first sixmonths of 2000, decreasing by a total of 791 people (6.52%) fromthe same period last year. Year-to-date arrivals for the UK andcontinental Europe, combined, decreased by 7.76% (1,381 people)when compared to the same period last year.
(* England is now statistically counted with Europe, however,this figure does not include the UK).
3.4% of air arrivals described their purpose of visit as "business"in June 2000, this is a decrease compared to 4.0% in June 1999.Even though this is still lower than the high of 9% in 1986, continuesto mark the first solid year of growth in this sector, off setting14 years of continuous, slow decline.
Tourists are continually becoming more and more "value-oriented."Evidence of this trend can be found not only in this increasingcruise numbers, but also in the demographics of the stay-overtourists who come here. 11.9% (June 2000) of tourists stayingin the Cayman Islands stayed in private homes. Year-to-date, thisrepresents 12.9% of the 2000 stay-over market. People stayingin condominiums in June 2000 represented 26.9% of air arrivals,a 1.9 percentage point increase from the previous June. together,14,024 people stayed in private homes or condos in June 2000,increasing by 1,172 people (9.1%) compared to last June's 12,852.
Length of stay continues to decrease. This is another crucialindicator of consumer patterns. So far this year, 15.2% of touristsspent less than 4 days on island, 0.4 percentage points higherthan the first six months of 1999 (14.8%).
First time visitors to the Cayman Islands for June 2000 represented26.5% of the air arrivals compared to 37.9% for the same monthlast year. Year-to-date, this has decreased by 9.9 percentagepoints from the average of 37.7% over the same period last year.More research is being conducted to determine all factors.
The Department of tourism continues to effectively market to thesophisticated, affluent traveler and build brand loyalty to thosequalified tourists who have been here before.
People who have come here often continue to come here with greatbrand loyalty. People who have visited Cayman two or more timesso far this year represented 51.8% of air arrivals, or almost112,8000 persons in the first six months of 2000. this is an increaseof 8.4 percentage points over last January through June, whichboasted 43.4% or almost 93,000 people. In essence, this marketsegment has increased by almost 19,800 people, a growth rate of21.3% compared to the same period last year.