Stopover tourist arrivals to the Bahamas for 2005 first half were down 2.5 per cent on last year, statistics from the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) have revealed.
Although the Bahamas led the English-speaking Caribbean in terms of sheer numbers for the first six months in 2005, with stop-over visitors totalling 826,500 and cruise ship visitors 1.729 million, the decline against year-before comparatives is likely to concern some in the industry.
The Dominican Republic experienced 8.1 per cent growth in stop-over visitors with Cancun enjoying 11 per cent growth, Bermuda 8.2 per cent growth and Jamaica 2.7 per cent. Trinidad & Tobago saw 8.8 per cent growth and even Aruba, which ahs been affected by negative coverage of the Nathalie Holloway disappearance, saw 10 per cent first half growth in stop-over arrivals.
Source: The Tribune
