SOURCE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO GUARDIAN-
Brent Pinheiro
Travellers from Trinidad & Tobago are now the leading source of arrivals to Antigua and Barbuda from the Caribbean region. This was revealed at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference held in the Cayman Islands at the beginning of September.
According to data from the Antigua & Barbuda Tourist Board (ABTA), 5,028 T&T arrivals have been recorded for the year thus far. In 2019, the country received 5,816 T&T visitors, and in 2022 and 2023 they received 3,470 and 5,817 T&T visitors respectively. The twin-island state’s top Caribbean source markets previously came from Dominica and the British Virgin Islands.
Overall, Antigua & Barbuda has recorded a 16 per cent increase in stay-over arrivals, with 205,004 stay-over arrivals recorded for the period January-July. This compares to 176,375 stay-over arrivals during the same period last year. The USA remains the destination’s top source market, accounting for 53 per cent of the market share. Europe and Canada are second and third respectively. The Caribbean accounts for 9 per cent of Antigua’s market share.
Charmaine Spencer, ABTA’s Director of Tourism for the Caribbean and Latin America, expressed her excitement about the year-on-year growth from the Trinidad & Tobago market. Highlighting the country’s strategic partnerships with local carrier Caribbean Airlines for aiding in the expansion, she said, “The new routes and direct connectivity with POS have significantly benefited us. We appreciate the ongoing airlift expansion, which aligns perfectly with ABTA’s growth strategy. The new routes have driven growth in Caribbean arrivals, and we are eager to build on this success.”
Caribbean Airlines is the only airline to offer to offer direct service to Antigua out of Port of Spain (POS).
In 2019, CAL operated just two weekly flights from POS to Antigua with onward connections. That number has now jumped to between seven and nine weekly flights with onward connections, as the airline continues to expand its presence in the region.
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Dionne Ligoure, Caribbean Airlines’ corporate communications executive manager told the Business Guardian the increase in flight options across the region is part of the company’s strategic plans for growth. Adding that “collaborations with tourism stakeholders, the launch of new routes, additional airlift, familiarization tours, travel agent education programs and other activities” are all ways CAL continues to stimulate regional travel, she said the airline is “here for the long haul.”
Elsewhere in the Caribbean, Grenada continues to record strong arrival figures from T&T. No surprise given the two countries’ strong heritage links. Some 9,378 T&T passport holders have already visited for 2024, up 16 per cent compared to the same period last year. Arrivals from Barbados are also up this year by 34 per cent with 2,073 visitors recorded.
While T&T has been Grenada’s #1 Caribbean source market over the years, the country still has reached recovered its 2019 figures. Back then, 18,125 Trinidad & Tobago nationals entered the country. The United States remains Grenada’s top overall source market with 64,954 Americans arriving in the country between January and July.
This represents a 16.89 per cent increase compared to 2023.
About Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is an independent country in the Caribbean. It is a member of Caricom and the Commonwealth. It lies at the conjuncture of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles.
The country consists of two major islands, Antigua and Barbuda, which are approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) apart, and several smaller islands, including Great Bird, Green, Guiana, Long, Maiden, Prickly Pear, York, and Redonda.
The permanent population is approximately 97,120 (2019 estimates), with 97 per cent residing in Antigua. St. John’s, Antigua, is the country’s capital, major city, and largest port. Codrington is Barbuda’s largest town.
The economy of Antigua and Barbuda is largely dependent on tourism, which accounts for 80 per cent of its GDP. Like other island nations, Antigua and Barbuda is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as sea level rise, and increased intensity of extreme weather like hurricanes. These cause coastal erosion, water scarcity, and other challenges.
Antigua and Barbuda offers a citizenship by investment programme. The country levies no personal income tax.
The nation’s The economy of Antigua and Barbuda is largely dependent on tourism, which accounts for 80 per cent of its GDP. Like other island nations, Antigua and Barbuda is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as sea level rise, and increased intensity of extreme weather like hurricanes. These cause coastal erosion, water scarcity, and other challenges.
Antigua and Barbuda offers a citizenship by investment programme. The country levies no personal income tax.
Real GDP growth is estimated at 4.2 per cent in 2023, returning the country to pre-pandemic real output levels on the back of strong construction activity and continued growth in tourist arrivals.
In 2024, growth is projected to be temporarily higher. Growth in 2024 is expected to accelerate to 5.8 per cent, boosted by Antigua’s hosting of the UN’s Small Island Developing States Conference and co-hosting of the T20 Cricket World Cup. Inflation rose to 6.0 per cent in April 2024, from 3.3 percent at end-2023.
“The high public debt burden poses ongoing challenges. The public debt to GDP ratio has declined from its pandemic high, from around 100 percent in 2020 to an estimated 76 per cent in 2023, reflecting the economic recovery and an upward revision to nominal GDP from a rebasing of the national accounts statistics.
However, cash constraints continue to bind, and domestic and external arrears are substantial. Fiscal adjustment is needed to create space to clear arrears and prevent their reemergence. The timely completion of the authorities’ validation of domestic arrears, development of a comprehensive arrears clearance strategy, and close engagement with creditors and domestic suppliers, will be essential for restoring debt sustainability. (Sources: Wikipedia and the International Monetary Funds June 2024 Article IV report)
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The high public debt burden [due to widespread corruption] poses ongoing challenges.
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