SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) : The Caribbean on Tuesday claimed a surge in tourism for 2015 that easily surpassed the global growth rate as it set new arrival and spending records, though you will find concerns the mosquito-borne Zika computer virus could put a dent in those numbers this coming year.
Nearly 29 million people visited the region last year, a 7 percent jump that surpassed the 4 percent global tourism growth amount, said Hugh Riley, secretary basic of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Visitors to the Caribbean spent $30 billion dollars last year, a $1 billion increase coming from 2014, he said.
"It's necessary for us to celebrate our victories inside the Caribbean. We have our challenges, inches Riley said in a phone interview.
He credited a stronger Oughout. S. economy, new flights, decrease oil prices and persistent marketing.
U. S. travelers accounted for 14. 3 or more million visits, representing roughly fifty percent of all arrivals. Barbados, Curacao plus Trinidad and Tobago reported the highest growth rates in U. S. arrivals. Meanwhile, there were more than 5 various million arrivals from Europe the first time in seven years, more than one million from Britain alone.
Hotel occupancies and average daily costs also increased last year for most resorts, although one-third of hotels described a net loss as they fought with high operating and air travel expenses, said Frank Comito, CEO on the Florida-based Caribbean Hotel & Travel and leisure Association.
"While most destinations have done well and most hotels did nicely, that's not been the case across the board, " he said. "There have been several areas of slow growth and even no growth. "
The news comes as the Caribbean and Latin America have trouble with an increase in Zika cases, with Muelle Rico already reporting several marriage and business conference cancellations. Typically the U. S. territory has more compared to 30 confirmed Zika cases. Herpes has hit Martinique and People from france Guiana the hardest, with more than 2, five hundred potential cases and more than hundred confirmed ones.
Comito said there are some cancellations of trips to the Caribbean but declined to provide a specific number.
But officials said that they expect tourist arrivals to increase approximately 5 percent this year.
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Danica Coto in Twitter: website reports tourism surge, braces for Zika impact
Nearly 29 million people visited the region last year, a 7 percent jump that surpassed the 4 percent global tourism growth amount, said Hugh Riley, secretary basic of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Visitors to the Caribbean spent $30 billion dollars last year, a $1 billion increase coming from 2014, he said.
"It's necessary for us to celebrate our victories inside the Caribbean. We have our challenges, inches Riley said in a phone interview.
He credited a stronger Oughout. S. economy, new flights, decrease oil prices and persistent marketing.
U. S. travelers accounted for 14. 3 or more million visits, representing roughly fifty percent of all arrivals. Barbados, Curacao plus Trinidad and Tobago reported the highest growth rates in U. S. arrivals. Meanwhile, there were more than 5 various million arrivals from Europe the first time in seven years, more than one million from Britain alone.
Hotel occupancies and average daily costs also increased last year for most resorts, although one-third of hotels described a net loss as they fought with high operating and air travel expenses, said Frank Comito, CEO on the Florida-based Caribbean Hotel & Travel and leisure Association.
"While most destinations have done well and most hotels did nicely, that's not been the case across the board, " he said. "There have been several areas of slow growth and even no growth. "
The news comes as the Caribbean and Latin America have trouble with an increase in Zika cases, with Muelle Rico already reporting several marriage and business conference cancellations. Typically the U. S. territory has more compared to 30 confirmed Zika cases. Herpes has hit Martinique and People from france Guiana the hardest, with more than 2, five hundred potential cases and more than hundred confirmed ones.
Comito said there are some cancellations of trips to the Caribbean but declined to provide a specific number.
But officials said that they expect tourist arrivals to increase approximately 5 percent this year.
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Danica Coto in Twitter: website reports tourism surge, braces for Zika impact