Curacao’s Tourist Arrivals from Europe Increased by 5 Percent in First Quarter of 2014
The European region registered 5% more visitors to Curacao in the first quarter of 2014. A total of 49.931 European visitors were registered during this period. Last year in the same period CTB (Curacao Tourist Board) counted 47.697 stay over visitors from the European region.
The fact that Europeans flocked in greater numbers to our island also resulted in an increase of 1% in overall nights for the first quarter. Europeans spent on average more nights compared to the other regions.
Despite the good performance of the European region, the overall stay over arrivals in the first quarter of 2014 recorded a decrease of 5%. All together, 108.067 stay over visitors were welcomed during the first three months of 2014. In 2013 Curacao welcomed 113.503 stay over visitors.
The South American region decreased by 19%. There were 24.847 South Americans in 2014 compared to the 30.732 visitors registered in 2013. The North American region decreased by 7% during 2014. A total of 20.218 visitors from this region were registered. The Caribbean region decreased by 13%, during the first three months of the year 2014 we welcomed 7.383 visitors from our neighbor islands.
Utilizing the ‘Turistika Model’, CTB and MEO calculated that for the first quarter of 2014 the tourism sector was directly responsible for generating 102.0 million US dollars into the local economy. Last year the same period generated a total of 104.9 million US dollars.
European stay over visitors, who visited Curacao in greater numbers during the first three months of 2014, spent a total 50.6 million US dollars, about 49.6% of the total. They were followed by the North Americans who spent 21.5 million US dollars and the South Americans who spent 21.1 million US dollars. The Caribbean visitors spent a total of 5.0 million US dollars in 2014.
The number of visitor nights is an important measurement rod to calculate the economic impact of the tourism sector in Curacao. The overall nights spent on the island increased by 1%. All together visitors stayed 999.523 nights in Curacao compared to 993.103 nights in the first three months of 2013.
The European region recorded significant growth in total visitor nights with a 6% increase and 569.128 registered nights. In absolute figures this region claims the greatest share of visitor arrivals causing a positive impact on the overall number of nights.
Moreover, Europeans spent on average more nights compared to the other regions. North America, South America and the Caribbean recorded less visitor nights. Respectively, 5%, 10% and 12%. In absolute numbers 148.752, 185.929 and 51.265 visitor nights.
The share of the top 5 markets to Curacao during the first quarter of 2014 is as follows: the Netherlands (34.8%), Venezuela (14.9%), United States of America (12.9%), Canada (5.8%) and Germany (4.4%). In absolute figures the top 5 markets registered 37.610, 16.142, 13.921, 6.297 and 4.724 stay over visitors in the first three months of 2014.
As previously mentioned in the February visitor arrivals performance, the CTB is well aware of the current airlift challenge. It is clear that the loss of seat capacity on different routes compared to last year is affecting the overall stay over figures. Furthermore, last year, March 2013 was the best performing month in visitor arrivals.
The challenge to maintain equal number of visitors with an airlift challenge and the political situation in Venezuela explains the drop in visitor arrivals. CTB continues to engage in several large scale promotions in different markets in an effort to close this gap.
Source: The Curacao Chronicle
