The territory saw a small increase in air visitors and a larger decrease in cruise passenger arrivals in November 2012, the most recent month with figures available, as compared to November 2011, according to the latest tourism data released by the V.I. Bureau of Economic Research.
The number of air visitors, which tend to spend much more in the territory than cruise passengers, was 54,258 this past November, a 2.9 percent increase from 52,714 in November 2011. Cruise passenger arrivals, on the other hand, fell 8.8 percent to 195,979 from 214,985 the same month a year ago.
All told, the territory received 250,237 visitors in November, which is a 6.5 percent decrease from a year ago.
For 2012 from January through November, a total of 2,339,590 visitors arrived in the territory, a small decline from the 2,376,163 recorded during the same 11-month period in 2011. Year-to-date air arrivals grew a strong 9.9 percent to 667,874 from 607,986 last year. Cruise passenger arrivals declined by 5.5 percent from the corresponding period – 1,676,716 versus 1,768,177, according to BER.
There were 571 cruise ship calls during this period or 6.1 percent fewer calls than in 2011.
While air visitor numbers increased, hotel occupancy went down in 2012. Hotels averaged 47.6 percent occupancy for the first 11 months of 2012, versus 51.1 percent the year prior. Occupied room nights were 792,132 compared to 831,485 in 2011.
There were 627,710 registered hotel guests during this 11-month period. _.jpg "Two cruise ships viewed from Fort Frederik (Bill Kossler photo).")
While overall hotel occupancy declined, visits from some areas increased as those from other areas decreased.
Hotel guests from the United States fell 6.3 percent; local residents staying in hotels declined by 9.3 percent; and guests from other parts of the West Indies declined by 10.3 percent.
But the number of hotel guests from Puerto Rico grew by 2.6 percent and those from Central and South America by 32.3 percent and 49.2 percent, respectively. The number of European guests increased by 44 percent, and Canadian guests increased 2.3 percent.
St. Thomas and St. John fared better than St. Croix.
The St. Thomas and St. John district experienced a healthy 8.9 percent increase in air arrivals to 42,564 from 39,078 last November. But St. Croix air arrivals decline for third time this year moving to 11,964 from 13,636 reported last September, a drop of 14.2 percent.
The St. Thomas and St. John district saw fewer cruise ship passengers this November compared to last year. There were 182,862 cruise passenger arrivals to the district or 8.5 percent less than last year. The island of St. Croix welcomed to its shores 13,117 cruise passengers.
Hotel occupancy rate for November 2012 averaged 48.1 percent, the same as the year before. But it went up on St. Thomas and down on St. Croix. The rate for St. Croix was 44 percent compared to 52.7 last November. The rate for St. Thomas and St. John was 49.3 percent compared to 46.7 percent for November 2011.
Why does it surprise anyone that the number of visitors to St. Croix is down? If Port Authority continues to raise landing fees, thereby keeping airlines from wanting to come into St.Croix and the Dept. Of Tourism continues to push St. Thomas as a destination, and neglecting St. Croix, it is only natural that our numbers will be down. I cannot tell you how many times I have said to individuals that I am from the U.S. Virgin Islands and am asked oh, St. Thomas or St. John? Many have never even heard of St. Croix. Last winter when I was checking in at the American counter and said I was heading to St. Croix the ticket agent said I needed a passport because only St Thomas and St. John were U.S. Territories. What does that say about the job Tourism is doing? It’s bad enough they are trying to steal the direct charters from Denmark!