14.3 percent growth in visitor arrival to Dominica for first five months of 2017

A visitor snorkeling at Champagne Beach in Dominica. Photo: AL Dive

During the first five months of 2017, preliminary reports show a 14.3% growth in stay-over arrivals to 34,363 as compared 30,074 in 2016.

The arrivals for this period also surpassed the previous five months high of 33,808 recorded in 2014 by 1.6%.

The strongest performing source market for the period was France, with a 46.3% growth over 2016 to 3,528 stay over arrivals. Arrivals from France also passed 2014’s 2,816 by 25.3%.

Arrivals from the United Kingdom grew 28.8% to 2,337 from 1,814 in 2016, which is also a 20.8% growth over 2014’s 1,934.

Arrivals from Germany and the German speaking territories are showing a strong change of rebounding following the decline in 2016. Through May, arrivals from the sub-group grew 22.2% to 1,374 from 1,124 in 2016. The growth was led by 925 arrivals from Germany, a 21.6% growth. There was also a 5.6% net growth from the sub-group over 1,301 in 2014.

Overall, Caribbean arrivals grew 7.7% to 13,648 during the January to May period. Arrivals from CARICOM led the growth with a 16.3% increase in arrivals to 4,546 from 3,910 in 2016. Most notable in the sub-region were Antigua & Barbuda at 1,213, a 14.4% growth, Barbados at 845, a 36.5% growth, and St. Lucia at 811, a 15.5% growth. All three markets also recorded growth over 2014 of 20.5%, 14.3%, and 19.4% for Antigua, Barbados, and St. Lucia, respectively.

Arrivals from the French West Indies are slowly gaining stride with a small 0.7% growth over 2016 to 6,862. Arrivals from Martinique at 2,074, an increase of 15.4%, were the main contributor to the growth in the subgrouping, as arrivals from Guadeloupe recorded a 5.0% decline to 4,751. There was a net loss in arrivals from the French West Indies of 4.9% or 351 compared to 2014 when 7,213 arrivals were recorded.

Arrivals from the United States grew 9.0% during the five month period to 9,046 from 8,299, only slightly surpassing 2014’s 9,042. Canadian arrivals were recorded at 1,712, an 18.9% increase over 2016 and 11.4% above 2014’s 1,537. Arrivals from Canada also grew 7.7% over the previous five month high from the market of 1,589 (2015).

CEO of Discover Dominica Authority commented on the positive trend, “it is gratifying to see that the strategy of focused factual information to press which began immediately after Tropical Storm Erika followed by the Seeking Adventurers campaign are paying off. Thank you to the Government of Dominica who increased the marketing budget to allow for more promotions, which have resulted in increased awareness and increased visitors to the island.”

 

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15 Comments

  1. Hmmmmmm
    July 13, 2017

    okay…. let me disect this……

    we had a 14% increase… caricom had a 16% increase… so we are below average compared to our caricom brothers…..

    the 2015 figures were not provided…. from 2014 to 2017 only a 1% increase…. that’s over a 3 yr period…sad….

    now….there was a campaign to get the country to 80k or 90k visitors a year ago few years ago….2017 and there is no hope of getting to that figure it seems so that goal has been dropped……

    so in conclusion…. yes we are making progress…but it’s absolutely nothing to boast about… the fact that we are below the mean growth with caricom shows that our strategy is not work8ng…. DDA needs to go back to the drawing board!!

  2. city obsever
    July 12, 2017

    Fake news!!!!

  3. sugar
    July 12, 2017

    Any updates on Roseau enhancement project?

  4. Lol
    July 12, 2017

    Tell UWP that we are on the right track and we will not derail less we crush with them.

    • Hmmmm
      July 13, 2017

      I hope you realize the folks you aim to “CRUSH” are your very relatives, coworkers, neighbors and friends, who have been calling for the very increase in “the marketing budget to allow for more promotions, which have resulted in increased awareness and increased visitors to the island.”

      You can thank Lennox Linton for making all the hidden CBI funds come to light and finally to use to promote Dominica rather than enrich a few politicians. When you and other political fanatics wake up and realize that this is not DLP vs UWP but a Government vs Citizens, you will ensure that ALL elected officials do what’s right to improve the country!

  5. weh
    July 12, 2017

    Does this 34 thousand figure include members of the diaspora coming home to visit, or is this figure strictly visitors staying in hotels, guesthouses etc?

    • Malatete
      July 12, 2017

      Apparently It does in include a large number of French citizens, who although technically Europeans, are residents of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Low occupancy rates of our hotels/guesthouses etc. would suggest most of them make private accommodation arrangements.

  6. Titiwi
    July 12, 2017

    A word of caution. Any growth is welcome of course but the comparing the first five months of this year with the same period in 2016 is selective and distorting. We should bear in mind that during that period last year we were still suffering the after-effects of tropical storm Erika. Bragging is ok in promotion and marketing but claims should be credible and not credulous, lest they become ludicrous

    • john paul
      July 13, 2017

      Can We see the 2014 figures?

      • Hmmmmmm
        July 13, 2017

        so what happen to 2015 figures? there is actually less ppl visiting now than in the 1st few months of 2015…

  7. Good vibes
    July 12, 2017

    Way to go

  8. Deflecting
    July 12, 2017

    DDA CEO you are trying to mislead the public. Where in this article does it say we had 14.3% growth? Kindly point it out because I didn’t catch it at all. Also, you started the statement by quoting some figures: 34,363 for 2017 as compared 30,074 for 2016; but failed to clarify that that figure was of the entire Caribbean region as a whole. DNO, please ask DDA to clarify their press release because this release here was not written for the benefit of the average Dominican, it was written for the benefit of the DLP Administration to shine some positive light their way, whereas this not the case at all. Where are the figures from Dominica?

    • A
      July 12, 2017

      Deflecting, please reread the article!

  9. Jonathan St jean
    July 12, 2017

    When the performance of last year is so disappointing,it doesn’t take much to get a big percentage increase.Just consider that one dollar is 20% of $5.After 16 years of effort that’s all this government which turned it’s back on agriculture and manufacturing can deliver.Pathetic is not even the word to describe this

  10. Shepherd buhiri major1
    July 12, 2017

    Wow dominca going places..great job tourist minister keep on moving we wanna be naming top destination.and tackle crime and pls put more jobs we need jobsvand not name in the bottim bracket in the world and is too long dominica is paid small wages the money the giverment wasting givin for free let those who can work .had them sweatbto recieve it abd pay dem fairly the bible said it giverment pls cobider what i comment

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