This brought the total number of visitors to this nation at November 30 to 4,178,290.
According to data released by the Ministry of Tourism, just over 100,000 persons travelled to the Bahamas by air, with 288,090 arriving by sea during November. Sea arrivals for the period were 14 per cent ahead of last year’s 252,775, with air arrivals, as measured by a head count of all foreign and transit arrivals, increasing by 2.4 per cent.
For November, New Providence received 227,840 total arrivals, an increase of 9.4 per cent over the previous year’s comparative. Air arrivals, though, were down by 5 per cent when compared to 2002 figures at 69,291, with sea arrivals up a significant 17.1 per cent from 135,346 in 2002 to 158,549 in 2003.
Grand Bahama saw an increase of 18.8 per cent in air arrivals – up from 18,997 in November 2002 – to 22,547 during the same period in 2003. Total arrivals for Grand Bahama stood at 52,218, an increase of 33.2 per cent.
The Family Islands received 113,177 persons for November with most of taht number – 99,870 arriving by sea – and 13,307 flying to their destination. The high number of sea arrivals again indicates the increasing tendency of cruise ships to call at their own private islands, such as Half Moon Cay and Coco Cay.
With preliminary figures for December still being compiled by the Ministry of Tourism, the Christmas period is expected to show similar, if not better, results despite the ongoing hotel industrial relations dispute.
In an interview with the The Tribune, Michael Hooper, general manager of the British Colonial Hilton, said Christmas figures for his property were buoyed by the long-term presence of group bookings over te Christmas and New year holidays with occupancy levels in the plus-70 per cent range, an improvement over 2002 levels.
He added that the Hilton would not have been able to make the adjustment without the presence of group business and would have failed to even reach the levels of 2002 if this had not been present.
Despite strong occupancy levels, though, room rates were down from 2002.
Mr. Hooper said most maor hotels look to underwrite their business by gaining a significant percentage of group business, and this was a market the Hilton would continue to go after. This market was important because it helped to stabilise occupancy levels during slower periods and boost room rates, because managemnet knows it already has a commitment for a large number of rooms. Raising room rates is particularly important for the Hilton, as it seeks to generate a return for investors.
Preparing to capitalise on a strong Christmas and New Year period, the government owned Radisson Cable Beach Hotel returned 150 rooms to operational status late last year.
Ben Davis, the resort’s general manager, said many of the rooms had been damaged by Hurricane Michelle in November 2001, and needed to undergo renovation and refurbishment before they could be used. He declined to detail how the hotel performed during the holiday season.
For the year to November 30, total arrivals to the Bahamas were 3.7 per cent up on 2002. Sea arrivals were ahead of 2002 by 4.9 per cent, standing at 2,869,551, while air arrivals were only narrowly up 1.2 per cent, standing at 1,308,739.
The Family Islands, driven by the high volume of cruise ship calls and sea arrivals, continued to show the greatest year-on-year increases, with total visitor numbers ahead 12.9 per cent.
Sea arrivals for the year to November 30 were up 12.7 per cent at 1,034,740, while air arrivals were ahead 14.3 per cent at 174,808.
In New Providence, total arrivals were up 1.3 per cent at 2,397,365. Sea arrivals were ahead 1.6 per cent at 1,532,533, with air arrivals only narrowly up at 864,832, a gain of 0.7 per cent upon 2002’s performance.
Grand Bahama continued to be down, though, in all arrival categories, with air arrivals off 4.4 per cent and sea arrivals down 2.1 per cent. Total arrivals to the island stood at 571,377, down 3.2 per cent.
By Yolanda Deleveaux, The Tribune
