Preliminary arrivals for the first six months of 2014 show a 5.5% growth in stay over visitation. 39,001 stay over visitor arrivals were recorded compared to 36,956 during January to June 2013. The number also represents growth over previous periods (2001 through 2013), including a 0.4% growth over 2006's 38,851.
The First Quarter
Despite declines in arrivals for both February (-3.6%) and March (-2.7%), first quarter arrivals at 20,431 were 0.5% above 2013 (20,334), and 6.5% above 2006 (19,189). This growth is a result of strong performance in January, which with arrivals of 6,422 has only been surpassed by January 2008 (6,556). Student arrivals (1,433) were the primary growth area during this period. Arrivals specifically for carnival (1,046) represented 5.1% of first quarter stay over visitation.
The Second Quarter
Propelled primarily by a 42.6% growth in April's arrivals, second quarter 2014 stay over arrivals was 11.7% over 2013. Over the years there have occasions when a decline in arrivals is experienced during May there is increased arrivals during June, possibly an impact of the movement of the Pentecost Holiday. Arrivals on June 6 and 7, 2014 (716), the Friday and Saturday ahead of the Pentecost Holiday, grew 274.9% over the same dates in 2013 (191), while arrivals on May 17 and 18 (352), declined 58.0% from 2013 (839), when those dates were the Friday and Saturday ahead of Pentecost.
There appears to be a trend that visitation to Dominica, particularly from the French West Indies and some other Caribbean islands (Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados), will spike during weekends surrounding public holidays. Because the holiday does not have to occur in Dominica as well, it creates an opportunity that can be maximised upon if packages inclusive of accommodation and tours and/or entertainment events can created around these holidays and promoted in target source markets.
Read the entire 2014 Six Month Visitor Statistics Report (PDF, 1.31 MB).
Posted: 12/08/2014
