Antigua and Barbuda has reported a significant increase in tourism for the first half of 2024, with stop-over visitors reaching an impressive 176,665, a 15% rise compared to the same period last year.
During a recent press conference at the Tourism Authority headquarters, Minister of Tourism, Max Fernandez, highlighted the remarkable growth, stating, “Stopover visitor arrivals increased from January to June 2024, from 154,333 in January to June 2023 to 176,655 in January to June 2024, when comparing the same period in 2019, which was our best year this represents a +10% increase from161,434 at the end of June of that year. We are well on the way to a record year for Tourism arrivals.”
The United States and the United Kingdom emerged as key source markets for this growth.
The hosting of eight games in the T20 World Cricket Cup tournament from June 9 to 23 further boosted visitor numbers, attracting spectators from Europe, the United States, India, Australia, and South Africa.
Emphasizing the importance of sports tourism, Fernandez noted, “This is important because sports tourism, one of the fastest-growing sectors in the travel industry, is an integral component of our tourism offerings, including yachting and sailing. In 2023, the Sports Tourism market’s size was US$564 billion, and it is expected to grow to US$1.33 trillion between 2024 and 2032. Hence, our hosting of the T20 Cricket Tournament represents a small but significant investment in this platform.”
June 2024 set a new record with an exceptional 42% increase in stopover visitors.