Air Arrivals, Expenditure Decrease In 2013 Q1
Recently released statistics indicate that air arrivals during the first quarter of 2013 decreased 1%, and air visitor expenditure was $1.3 million under the same quarter in 2012.
The report said, “Air arrivals during the first quarter of 2013 dipped 1.0 per cent when compared to the same quarter of 2012. The Island hosted 31,300 visitors in the first three months of the year, down from 31,619 visitors in 2012.
“This decline was partly attributed to the reduction in airline flights by WestJet and Air Canada which resulted in a 14.0 per cent drop in visitors from Canada.
“Arrivals from the United States, Bermuda’s strongest tourist market, increased 1.0 per cent to 19,992 visitors. Air arrivals from the United Kingdom and all other countries increased by 13.5 per cent and 6.4 per cent, respectively.
“The reduction in first quarter air arrivals resulted in a decrease of 5.0 per cent in occupancy levels at resort hotels. Private homes accommodated 248 more guests compared to a year ago while occupancy at housekeeping accommodations increased by 115 guests. The number of visitors staying in guest houses and small hotels, cottage colonies and clubs also rose above the levels reached in the previous year.
“The decrease in the number of air passengers to the Island translated into a decline in total expenditure by air visitors in the first quarter. Air visitor expenditure was estimated at $33.8 million, a decrease of $1.3 million from the same quarter in 2012.
“The average expenditure per visitor dipped by 2.7 per cent to $1,054 from $1,083 a year ago. Accommodation expenditure, which represented 47.5 per cent of all monies spent by air arrivals, decreased 3.9 per cent. Spending on meals and beverages in restaurants slipped by 16.1 per cent.
“Cruise ship arrivals during the first quarter of 2013 fell 45.4 per cent. A total of 1,484 cruise passengers travelled to Bermuda during the first quarter of 2013 compared to 2,719 passengers in 2012. Although the same number of cruise ship calls was made to Bermuda’s ports compared to a year ago, the smaller cruise ship liners contributed to fewer cruise visitors during the quarter.”
“There were 2,375 workers employed in the hotel industry at the end of January 2013. This level of employment represented an increase of 48 employees in the industry compared to the same period in 2012.”
The full report is below [PDF here]
A large part of that was a reduce factor from all the overseas company’s that come to Bermuda to have large conventions. They pay for their staffs plane tickets and hotel stay. Everyone was and still is cutting back.
At the particular hotel I work we suffered and had to lay off staff that run the conventions. The USA economy is improving, Bermuda has to wait in line. We all remember when the USA economy was doing badly, we didn’t feel it here until 2 years later. The Premier at that time Paul Cox she should have seen this coming.
She was to busy reading a Thesaurus every dam day trying to impress the public. Very educated woman but dumb as a rock when it came to being street smart.
you sound very intelligent and worldly, pray tell what would you have done differently considering the fact all of the countries in the region suffered similar fates to Bermuda (Cayman, Bahamas, etc…)?
You seem to know more then everyone, I bow to you.
That’s something you should ask the dumb Finance Minister and former Premier Paula Cox, who has left the mighty PLP and is hiding in a cave underneath the $40 mill Warwick eye sore we call Grand Atlantic.
they say hindsight is 20/20 but somehow you are still confused. basically you don’t understand the role Bermuda plays in the global economy and can’t provide solutions. That’s fine because the current govt who promised solutions are doing the exact same thing as the previous govt.
Smart move in changing the discussion to a totally unrelated subject. You sir are a genius!!!!!!
Boy we are seeing some really good results from Dodwell and Winfield’s committee’s…NOT.
Minister you are spinning your web and need to clean house with this same ole same ole!
You’re blaming Q1 results for air arrivals on ministers that essentially started work in Q1? Seems a tad ridiculous.
Perhaps the tourists are deciding to go to other countries where the buses and ferries actually run an efficient and reliable
Service EVERY DAY.