Antigua’s tourism soars: 15% increase in first half of 2024

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. 

Fernandez elaborated, “In June, we enjoyed the highest-ever month-over-month growth with an impressive 42% increase in stopover visitors. The performance of visitor arrivals from our most important source market, the United States, is truly remarkable, showing a 46% increase compared to June 2023, from 11,032 to 16,084 in June 2024, United Kingdom and Europe. The United Kingdom also excelled, with a 15% increase in visitor arrivals compared to June 2023, from 3,567 in June 2023 to 4,092 in June 2024.”

The cruise sector also saw substantial growth, with a 30% increase in arrivals from January to June 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, flights from Canada are set to resume in November, while Caribbean regional airlift has begun to increase with expanded service from Caribbean Airlines and other carriers.

Furthermore, the destination’s July-September numbers surpassed air arrivals for the same period in 2019, which had previously been the country’s best year for tourism. 

With these positive trends and upcoming events like the OAS conference scheduled for June 2025, Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism industry appears to be on a strong upward trajectory.