The tourism industry in Antigua and Barbuda is booming, with stayover arrivals by air increasing by 17 per cent.
Those arrivals reached 262,446 for the period January to October 2024 – a 17 per cent increase over the same period in 2023 and an 11 per cent jump compared to the previous record year of 2019.
Colin James, Chief Executive Officer of the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority, confirmed the figures in an interview with ABS News.
“We are going full speed ahead for a remarkable year where we are going to really be blowing those tourism numbers from 2019 out of the window and establishing 2024 as the best year for tourism,” he stated enthusiastically.
The strong performance extends beyond just air arrivals. Local media reports indicate that the total number of arrivals by air and sea has surpassed 848,000 so far this year, compared to 774,000 in 2019.
This tourism surge signals a full recovery from the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and a renewed interest in the island nation as a premier Caribbean destination.
