Numbers, news & notice at CTO marketplace

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) paid its annual visit to the Toronto area yesterday with its Caribbean Media Marketplace.

Held to provide an update on the Caribbean’s tourism status and a networking platform for more than 10 tourism boards and hotel properties, the Toronto event was the first stop for the CTO en-route to Waterloo and Burlington, where it will connect with the areas’ agents.

“The Caribbean has a great relationship with Canada,” Sylma Brown Bramble, director of CTO, told PAX. “Canadians have been visiting the region in large numbers, and we want to see those numbers increase.”

A relationship with Canada’s travel agents is key, she continued, going on to describe the current status as a “work in progress.”

“We’re working with agents on the ground to educate travel experts more about the Caribbean’s different destination, and to build our relationship,” she said, adding that the ideal increase for the year is 25 per cent, as the capacity is there.

At the top of the day, CTO’s Secretary General and CEO, Hugh Riley, took the podium to share the news for the tourism region, which encompasses 30 countries. The consensus? Still lots of room for growth.

Tourism by the numbers:

• In the first six months of 2015, the Caribbean has welcomed 14.8 million passengers – a 5.8 per cent increase that Riley said out-paces the rest of the world.
• Canada in particular has seen 2.1 million trips to the region, even with the current exchange rate.
• Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica remain the dominant destinations in terms of volume, although Riley pointed out that smaller regions with smaller market shares are emerging with the best performances; Curacao, for instance, recorded a 39.7 per cent increase in arrivals form Canada from January to June. Similarly, Barbados saw a 28.4 per cent increase.
• There has been an increase in Canadian lift, and the CTO is projecting about 3.8 million seats to the Caribbean for 2016, with the majority of visitors coming from Ontario and Quebec.

“The thawing relationship between Cuba and the U.S. resulted in a greater number of Americans visiting the island, transiting through a number of our other countries as well,” Riley said, pointing out the U.S. remains the Caribbean’s main market, with 7.3 million tourist arrivals from January to June this year.

Hotel Performance

• Room occupancy was at 74.6 per cent this year, up from 72 per cent during the same period in 2014.
• Room rates and revenue have increased during this period, with room revenue collected in that sector rising 9.2 per cent.

Caribbean by cruise

• The cruise sector continues to be in high demand, with an estimated 13.7 million visits to Caribbean’s ports recorded for the first half of 2015 – an increase of 2.9 per cent.
• Of 22 destinations recorded thus far, 13 registered as having more passengers disembarking than last year.

“These increases continue to attribute to the close collaboration between the cruise line operators, enhanced cruise itineraries, and dozens more luxury liners making the Caribbean their port of call,” Riley said.

He added that although the increasingly elaborate enhancements being made onboard most vessels has resulted in some passengers being less inclined to go ashore, there is currently legislation underway to allow ships to spend more time in port, so as to allow passengers extra days to explore the islands.

Canadian trends

• “There is evidence that older Canadians [aged 55+] are showing a propensity to travel outside of Canada in larger numbers than ever before,” Riley shared, adding that with that age bracket also comes an increase of multi-generational travel.
• According to Riley, areas of Canada that are experiencing growth due to immigration numbers are also bringing forth new opportunities to attract different markets and age groups.

On the Sargassum issue

“It’s unpredictable,” Riley said of the incorrigible seaweed problem that has been plaguing the region in irregular quantities throughout the last year, “but not a phenomenon.”

Riley explained that Sargassum, which comes in 250 varieties (the Caribbean has two of them, one of which floats), is not exclusive to the Caribbean, and said that while the public and private effort to eradicate it from the region’s beaches in sustainable ways should be applauded, the CTO is aiming to do a better job in raising awareness about the issue.

Riley recommends that agents with clients who are concerned about seaweed on their vacation visit the CTO’s website for more information, and call the hotel as close to the arrival date as possible to check on their beach’s status, as the seaweed quantities can vary from day to day.

All about agents

Riley ended the update with the observation that in spite of the Caribbean’s long-standing relationship with Canada – particularly in offering respite from the chilly winter months – travel agents have in fact become more important to the region than ever.

Information gathered by the CTO, he explained, has found that travellers like to consult with experts when determining the best destination in the Caribbean to visit. On top of that, agents are making a mark beyond that of leisure travel.

“Travel agents aren’t just important in the growth of vacation travel to the Caribbean,” Riley explained. “Travel agents play a vital role in booking corporate travel. A lot of travel agents have become so savvy, they’re booking conventions, incentive travel – they’re promoting the growth of travel to the Caribbean.”

“We must never, ever,” he concluded, “forget to say thank you.”

PHOTO: Tameka Wharton, sales & marketing manager, Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Office, Johnson JohnRose, communications specialist, CTO; Sylma Brown Bramble, director, CTO & Hugh Riley, secretary general & CEO, CTO.