by Brian Major
Last updated: 4:43 PM ET, Thu February 23, 2017
Surging U.S. arrivals propelled Barbados' solid 6.7 percent year-over-year visitor arrivals increase in 2016. Barbados' welcomed 168,945 from its second-largest market between January and December of last year, a 14.1 percent increase over 2015. The increased tourist traffic led to an all-time record of 631,513 overnight, land-based visitors, said Richard Sealy, Barbados' minister of tourism and international transport.
Visitor arrivals increased in each month with the exception of April, said Sealy, citing Barbados Statistical Service data. December (67,643), November (62,802), January (62,338) and February (60,969) were the peak months; November's 18.5 percent gain compared with 2015 represents the largest monthly increase. Barbados also posted a 10.5 percent year-over-year visitor 2016 increase during the traditionally slow month of September.
The increases represent a turnaround from the declining US arrivals Barbados posted each year between 2012 and 2014, according to Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) statistics. The United Kingdom remained Barbados' primary source market, contributing 35 percent of all arrivals. Barbados hosted 218,638 overnight U.K. arrivals in 2016, a 2.1 percent year-over-year increase. Barbados' 168,945 total U.S. arrivals in 2016 represented 27 percent of the country's arrivals.
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Neighboring Caribbean destinations represented 15 percent of Barbados' 2016 visitors led by Trinidad and Tobago with 34,000 arrivals, a 14.6 percent year-over-year increase. Canada represented 12 percent of Barbados arrivals, which increased 5.9 percent to 78,903 visitors in 2016, up from 74,494 in 2015.
Europe maintained its 6 percent share of Barbados arrivals, with Germany as the top contributor.
Along with the visitor increases, tourists are spending more money during Barbados visits, according to CTO's Quarterly Exit Survey, which reports overnight visitors to Barbados spent a daily average of $167.41 in 2016 compared with $164.40 during the corresponding period in 2015.
"More tourists are coming to our shores and they are spending more," said William "Billy" Griffith, CEO of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI). "In response, we need to ensure we encourage this upward trend in visitor spending by focusing our efforts on consistently offering exciting, quality experiences."
U.K. visitors spent the most on average ($184.72), representing a year-over-year increase of 4.1 percent. Visitors from the Caribbean and Canada also spent more in 2016, generating increases of 3.5 percent and 1.9 percent respectively.
"An increase in stay-over visitors, and an increase in average visitor spending, translate to new and growing opportunities for individuals in the Barbados labor force as well as the overall economy," Sealy added.
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