Comments on: Statistics Bulletin: Imports, Employment, Visitors

By: Zevon

Zevon — Sun, 08 May 2016 10:14:15 +0000

Q1 was a great quarter, with a sizeable increase in air arrivals. It was the best result for eight years. Why is that difficult to understand? “Reality Check” decides to simply ignore it. I think we all know why.

By: Bermyman

Bermyman — Sun, 08 May 2016 03:54:02 +0000

Yeah! Why have an airport at all?

By: Serious though

Serious though — Sat, 07 May 2016 23:54:40 +0000

Zevon, tourism is not a PLP or UBP or OBA , or Zeron Political Party, it’s about Bermuda overall performance in attracting tourist and how the country need new strategies , less political spin off. Fair points have been raised on this issue, Bermuda need to work together

By: rightt

rightt — Sat, 07 May 2016 23:49:22 +0000

Q1 would be Bermuda’s off season for tourism though. I’m not understanding the point you are making. Typical OBA fanboy just trying to have a say.

By: The Ridiculist

The Ridiculist — Sat, 07 May 2016 22:50:16 +0000

@Zevon seems like you always the smartest guy in the room and everybody else is stupid. Give it a damn break!!

By: Zevon

Zevon — Sat, 07 May 2016 20:44:21 +0000

Yep. Q1 16 stats were the best for eight years.
You call it a “small uptick”. It was a 14% increase in air arrivals YOY.

But then you PLP lot never were much good at understanding numbers, were you.

We all know how much you hate any sign of good news.

By: Tom 1

Tom 1 — Sat, 07 May 2016 19:41:32 +0000

When did the OBA ever state that the new airport would be the answer. The airport is not the answer, but it will make a significant contribution to employment, as well as the first and last impression visitors see when they come to Bermuda. The airport we have right now is an eyesore and does not give us the image that we are a first class destination.

By: Reality Check

Reality Check — Sat, 07 May 2016 19:24:06 +0000

Zevon,

Q1 stats for 2016 are the best for eight years?

The bottom-line is that at $333.1 million, overall revenue from all Tourism for all of 2015 is just a little higher than the $329 million earned from Tourism in 1983 – when costs and prices were way lower than in 2015.

Overall, in 2015, per person spending by both Air Arrivals and Cruise Arrivals are down. That is seen and reported in this Q4 summary for 2015.

A small uptick in Q1 2016 doesn’t represent or portend a revival of Tourism. Instead it looks more like a desperate hanging-on.

Reality Check.

By: Zevon

Zevon — Sat, 07 May 2016 18:48:46 +0000

You don’t want new jobs then. Got it.

By: Zevon

Zevon — Sat, 07 May 2016 18:36:48 +0000

But we already know Q1 16 tourism stats are the best for eight years.
Funny how you forgot that isn’t it.

By: Coffee

Coffee — Sat, 07 May 2016 18:08:12 +0000

When will the UBP/OBA realize that a new free airport isn’t the answer ?

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Sat, 07 May 2016 17:08:41 +0000

Cruise visitors tend not to spend a whole lot in port, this is not only an issue in Bermuda, it’s the same in almost every port.

Since Bermuda has a limited inventory of hotel rooms we are limited in the number of are arrivals that we’ll see.. Unfortunately, until we get some hotels built what you see is what you get!

By: Terry

Terry — Sat, 07 May 2016 15:57:49 +0000

I will pay you $1 an hour to run from the Airport to Hamilton and then Dockyard in 2017 and keep up with custom/immigration stamps.
Don’t blow it fool.

By: reddamtibi

reddamtibi — Sat, 07 May 2016 15:47:56 +0000

Agreed – look how many will “dislike” the truth.

We need to focus our efforts on emerging markets – the “other” countries the tables refer to…the only visitor arrival segment that actually rose in 2015 albeit modestly.

As is the reality in the West – their time at the top of the heap has come to an end. The new axis of economic strength is now in the East – for reasons a little to complex to briefly detail here… If our leaders have not recognized this and adjusted their business/trade/investment strategies accordingly woe be unto them and us.

By: Reality Check

Reality Check — Sat, 07 May 2016 13:51:42 +0000

A reality check.

This Q4 Statistics Bulletin contains scary information about Tourism in 2015. Though all the ‘interested parties’ are currently upbeat about the information as reported and displayed, the numbers tell a completely different story. The numbers tell us:

Total Arrivals – 597,210 – fifth highest total arrivals ever seen

Total income – $333,100,000 – lowest total Tourism income seen since before 1987.

Total Air Arrivals – 219,814 – lowest ever Air Arrivals. All time low since before 1987

Total Cruise Arrivals – 377,396 – fifth highest since 1987.

It’s really the same sad story. Total dollar income from Tourism falling. Air Arrivals falling. Cruise Arrivals staying high. But dollar income from Cruise Arrivals falling and lowest since 2005 with only $62,100,000 earned from Cruise Arrivals in 2015.

Overall Tourism is still heading South.

It also appears that America’s Cup events did not result in any uptick in Air Arrivals in 2015. Or, Air Arrivals for the America’s Cup events compensated for a further drop in ordinary Air Arrivals.

Reality Check.