Curacao’s Visitor Nights Up by 2 Percent in the First Five Months of 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 2 percent in the first five months of 2014.
All together visitors stayed 1.587.757 nights in Curacao compared to 1.556.997 nights in the same period of 2013. The European visitor arrival trend remains positive, with the region recording a significant 7 percent increase in total visitor nights to reach 887.734 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.
Utilizing the ‘Turistika Model’, CTB and MEO calculated that for the first five months of 2014 the tourism sector was directly responsible for generating 165.10 million US dollars into the local economy. Last year the same period generated a total of 168.5 million US dollars.
European stay over visitors, who visited Curacao in greater numbers during the first five months of 2014, spent a total 80.8 million US dollars, about 48.9 percent of the total. They were followed by the South Americans who spent 36.4 million US dollars and the North Americans who spent 32.5 million US dollars. The Caribbean visitors spent a total of 8.6 million US dollars in 2014.
Europe led growth in absolute terms, welcoming an additional 4.221 visitor arrivals in the first five months of 2014, raising the total to 79.928 visitors. From the European region a growth of 6 percent is registered in this period. This is particularly remarkable in view of the regional economic situation.
The Netherlands recorded 60.264 visitors in the first five months of 2014. The result of great marketing efforts in close partnership with the tour operators Corendon, TUI and Kuoni/Does & Cadushi is reflected in the arrival figures.
Despite the good performance of the European region, overall stay over arrivals in the first five months of 2014 recorded a decrease of 4 percent. The current airlift challenge on different routes compared to last year is affecting the visitor arrivals from North America, South America and the Caribbean region. Respectively these regions recorded -9 percent, -16 percent and -14 percent decreases in visitor arrivals.
Altogether, 176.144 stay over visitors were welcomed during the first five months of 2014. In 2013 Curacao welcomed 183.533 stay over visitors. The challenge to increase the number of visitors continues, as CTB is engaged in several large scale promotions in different markets in an effort to, in first instance, close the current gap.
The share of the top 5 markets to Curacao during the first quarter of 2014 is as follows: the Netherlands (34.2 percent), Venezuela (15.6 percent), United States of America (12.8 percent), Canada (4.5 percent) and Germany (4.5 percent). In absolute figures the top 5 markets registered 60.264, 27.432, 22.572, 7.970 and 7.923 stay over visitors in the first five months of 2014.
The cruise sector recorded a 3 percent growth. A total capacity of 325.005 cruise passengers is registered in the first five months of 2014. Last year this same period recorded a capacity of 316.350 cruise visitors. Counting all visitors arriving through sea and air together the numbers remains the same as last year as we register neutral growth (0 percent). In absolute numbers, a total of 519.712 visitors were welcomed to Curacao during this period.
Source: The Curacao Chronicle
