…All focus markets achieved positive outcome in June…
WILLEMSTAD –August 8th, 2017
June Visitor Arrivals, Visitor Nights & Economic Impact 2017
The Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) is reporting growth in visitor arrivals from all its focus markets. The Netherlands, Germany, United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Colombia and Suriname performed well in June 2017. The June performance is down by 3% despite the positive performance of all focus markets. Precisely, in total 760 fewer visitors were registered in June 2017, bringing the total count to 27,957 visitors against 28,717 in the same month last year. The fall in arrivals is due to the fact that arrivals from Venezuela are still affecting our overall arrivals performance. A total decrease of 46% is registered in June. Last year we counted 3,939 Venezuelans, while this year a total of 2,113 are welcomed in Curaçao.
The European region recorded an increase of 7% in June, counting a total of 12,937 Europeans to Curaçao. The market share in arrivals from Europe is currently 46%. The Netherlands recorded a 5% growth in June 2017. 10,175 Dutch visitors were counted this year in June. From Germany we recorded 34% growth in June 2017. A total of 1,489 German visitors are welcomed in June 2017.
Out of the region North America, we see an increase of 8% visitors in June 2017. In total 5,988 North American visitors is registered. North Americans represent 21% of all the visitors in June this year.
5,327 US visitors are registered in June, recording 8% growth compared to last year. The US market is currently the second producing market for Curaçao’s tourism industry. The tourism performance from the US market stumbled in the first months of 2017 and is finally showing favorable outcome for the second consecutive month. Canada also grew by 8% in June 2017. Curaçao welcomed 661 Canadian visitors in June.
Venezuela’s tourism performance is holding the overall region down. In total 17% less visitors is registered from South America. The secondary markets in South America; Brazil, Colombia and Suriname recorded respectively 4%, 36% and 11% growth in June 2017.
June also noted favorable insights for the visitor nights. The trend that visitors are staying longer on island continues as we see that on average they stayed 8.6 nights in June. Last year the average nights per person was recorded at 8.1 nights. In terms of total visitor nights an increase of 4% is recorded in June 2017. A total of 241,290 visitor nights were registered compared to 232,564 last year.
Data generated from the ‘Turistika Model’ shows that a direct impact of $ 34.7 million US dollars is generated for the local economy in June 2017. Last year, the direct impact generated $ 32.4 million US dollars. European visitors are responsible for $ 17.0 million US dollars. The North American, South American and other regions generated respectively $ 7.8, $ 7.6 and $ 2.3 million US dollars.
The ratio between visitor nights and stayover arrivals shows that despite the fact we registered less stayover arrivals, the visitor nights are showing a less negative outcome in terms of the direct economic impact from the tourism industry.
