June saw a decline in airlifts and occupancy rates

The Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourist Association (ABHTA) has reported
that its occupancy rates and airlift figures declined in the month of June.
The latest data released by the ABHTA shows occupancy among member
properties of the association, averaging 53.3 percent. This figure is down by over
11 percent when compared with the 2022 figures. It is also down slightly from
2019, the base year used by the association to assess the industry.
The data also shows that visitors arriving by air during June were down by 15
percent compared to 2019. For June, arrivals totaled 18,048 which is more than 3-
thousand less than the 21,175 visitors who arrived in June 2019.
A closer look at the figures revealed that while the United States market remains
the most important for the industry, there are signs of weakening in other markets,
the figures arriving out of the UK, Canada, and the Caribbean are down.
A spokesman for the ABHTA said airlifts into the country are down because the
number of flights has reduced from previous years. The Antigua and Barbuda
Airport Authority has confirmed that flights out of Canada, the UK, and the
Caribbean have been down for a variety of reasons.
All is not doom and gloom however, as a source in the Ministry of Tourism has
noted, that while the hotel’s occupancy rates have reduced, they do not fully reflect
what is happening in terms of stay-over visitors.
“There are other areas of the industry that are not captured by the ABHTA because
they are not members of the organization. I am referring to the growing Air B and B
market and the vacation rental by owner (VRBO) villa or home rental markets that
are a significant slice of the stayover pie,” the source explained.
For example, in 2021 during the pandemic, there were roughly one thousand Air
B and B properties up for rental. From that figure, according to the source, this could
account for an additional 2500 rooms. “It is fair to say that there may be as many
rooms available through these channels as are available in the traditional hotels,”
he further explained.
Currently, the Ministry of Tourism is working in conjunction with the Inland
Revenue Department to have these properties registered.