2009 Arrivals Continue To Suffer The Caribbean is continuing to suffer heavily from the downturn in the global tourist industry. Of the 21 countries reporting 2009 figures, only three experienced an increase in tourist arrivals. These were: Cuba, with arrivals growth of 2.0% year-on-year; Jamaica, with 0.2% growth; and Saba, with 1.4% growth.

Even such growth rates are well below those traditionally enjoyed by the region of 8-10%. Moreover, some countries reported major drops in tourist arrivals. The worst affected were Anguilla (-21.4%), the British Virgin Islands (-25.1%), St Maarten (-16.1%) and the Bahamas (-15.3%).

The Caribbean is suffering particularly heavily from the downturn because it has historically been one of the more expensive tourist destinations and therefore is marketed more towards high-end and luxury travellers. With incomes suffering globally, tourists appear to be choosing cheaper and closer holiday destinations at the expense of the Caribbean. Also, much of the Caribbean’s tourism has been concentrated in the cruise industry, which is suffering in line with other luxury travel options. With Q209 arrivals appearing to continue the downward trend, we remain negative on prospects for Caribbean arrivals in 2009, especially given the start of the hurricane season in August.

Focus On The Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is suffering less than many other Caribbean countries from the tourist slowdown. In the first four months of 2009 arrivals fell by 4.8% year-on-year (y-o-y), making it the fifth best performing country in the region.

The country is weathering the downturn better than some of its neighbours for several reasons. For one, it possesses a highly developed tourist infrastructure, with substantial developments along the beachfront and a good balance between charter holiday and high-end resorts. Its long coastline gives it an abundance of locations, while the capital, Santo Domingo, provides a good base for travellers wishing to explore more of the country. Unlike some other Caribbean destinations, the Dominican Republic benefits from a varied landscape, with tourists able to explore the beaches and the mountainous interior. These factors should help it to mitigate the effects of the 2009 downturn and position it for a recovery into 2010.

Eastern Caribbean Ferry Service Opens With regional incomes suffering during the economic downturn, regional flights are beginning to appear too expensive. To counter this, countries in the Eastern Caribbean are to open a new ferry service in October 2009. Grenada-based company BEDY Ocean Line will launch operations serving Barbados, St Lucia, Trinidad, Grenada and St Vincent. One ferry will be based in St Vincent and serve St Lucia and Barbados, while the other will be based in Grenada and serve Trinidad and Barbados.

With prices ranging between US$120 and US$140, the ferry service offers a cheap alternative to flights in the region and should be popular with locals and tourists. Currently, the only Caribbean ferries operating are between Florida and the Bahamas, and between Puerto Rico and the US and British Virgin Islands.

The launch of the ferry service will be negative for regional airline Liat, which is already struggling to maintain revenue in an environment of declining passenger demand and an ongoing pay dispute with workers.