Tourism numbers higher in 2024 with record breaking performance for some LAC destinations

 


The number of holidaying visitors to Latin America and some Caribbean islands has been increasingly exponentially, as the area appears to be the new hot spot for those with vacation time and a desire to try new destinations.

Nearshore Americas reports that at the forefront was El Salvador, according to a UNWTO report saw tourism revenue climb above 20 per cent in 2024 as tourist arrivals increased 81 per cent. It was second, globally, only to Qatar where visitor arrivals rose 137 per cent.

Nearshore records that other notable performances came from countries such as Curaçao (+51 per cent), Colombia (+37 per cent), Guatemala (+33 per cent), the Dominican Republic (+32 per cent), Aruba (+27 per cent), and Panama (+17 per cent).

Comparatively, Jamaica recorded a 4.5 per cent increase in visitor numbers to 4.3 million in 2024. Earnings were reported at US$4.3 billion. The nation had negative travel warnings during the year.

The Cayman Islands also ended 2024 with 437,842 stayover visitors between January and December 2024, representing a 2 percent increase over 2023’s numbers.

However, just next door, Turks and Caicos attracted near two million arrivals in 2024. The destination saw 1,959,563 arrivals across air and cruise from January to December 2024. There were 734,308 air arrivals, a 10.66 percent year-over-year increase from 2023 while cruise passengers topped 1.25 million, a 30.48 percent year-over-year increase.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) indicates that between 2019 and 2023, the tourism sector attracted 1,983 announced foreign direct investment (FDI) greenfield projects, with a total of US$106.7 billion in capital investments.

Worldwide, the organisation states, “With 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals recorded globally, 2024 marked the recovery of international tourism from the worst crisis in the sector’s history. A majority of destinations welcomed more international tourists in 2024 than they did before the pandemic, while visitor spending also continued to grow strongly.”

According to the latest World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism, an estimated 1.4 billion tourists travelled internationally in 2024, indicating a virtual recovery (99 per cent) of pre-pandemic levels. This represents an increase of 11 per cent over 2023, or 140 million more international tourist arrivals.

Many Caribbean other Caribbean islands, besides Jamaica and Cayman, say double digit arrivals numbers. According to Travelagentcentral.com Antigua and Barbuda welcomed over 330, 281 stay-over visitors for the year and over 823,955 cruise passengers, surpassing previous records (set in 2019).

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) welcomed above one million visitors for the first time since 2016. Central Statistics Office numbers indicate that total visitor arrivals was 1,092,139 in 2024, a 9.8 percent increase compared to 994,896 in 2023. Cruise ship visitors saw a 6.8 percent, overnight visitors seeing a 16.7 percent increase.

Curaçao welcomed 213,360 North American arrivals in 2024, a 23 percent increase over 2023.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines reported an increase of 25 percent from its 2023 numbers.

Stayover arrivals for the first time in the country’s tourism reached over 100,000 (reaching 101,471 visitors).

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism reported 1,770,922 guests, resulting in a 9.8 percent increase compared to 2023, being cruise ship visitors.


Photograph of El Salvador by tripsavvy.

Caribbean Money Daily

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