Looking back on a 2022 that began with different challenges, among other things, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that can still be felt, Aruba still reached a very satisfactory level of recovery.
Tourism Credits 2022
Every quarter the Central Bank of Aruba observes the Tourism Credits (Tourism Receipts) which show the amount of money brought by tourism into our economy. While the numbers from the last quarter of 2022 are still unknown, it’s worth emphasizing the importance of this indicator for the recovery of our tourism, seeing as it is one indicator illustrating not the amount of visitors that came to Aruba, but the amount of money that their visit generated. Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) had the goal of reaching 95% recovery for this indicator in 2022. ATA predicted that this goal would be surpassed, and we could be closing the year with 17% growth compared to 2019.
Tourism Credits is the direct income generated from tourism, and excludes the indirect income that Aruba’s economy generates thanks to the tourism industry.
December 2022 compared to 2019 and 2021
In the month of December, our destination received a total of 110,435 stay-over visitors. If the month of December 2022 is compared to December 2019 – the last normal year for tourism – it can be noted that Aruba recovered 110% of what was received in December 2019, a growth of 10 percent.
If December 2022 is compared to December 2021, we can see a recovery of 123%, indicating 23% growth.
2022
In 2022, Aruba received a total of 1,100,997 stay-over visitors, representing a degree of recovery of 98% compared to the same months in 2019. While a complete recovery in the amount of visitors was attempted, the challenges at the beginning of the year, among other things due to the Omicron variant had a role in this recovery. However, the goal of 95% was surpassed. It’s worth noting that the main market in each region surpassed the numbers for 2019. The United States surpassed the amount of visitors in 2019 with 20,275 – a growth of 2.4%. The Netherlands surpassed the amount of visitors in 2019 with 3,3029 visitors – a growth of 7.7%; and Colombia surpassed the amount of visitors in 2019 with 1,122 visitors – a growth of 3.5%.
Markets and accommodation categories
In 2022, 81.7% of the total stay-over visitors for Aruba came from North America, 8.0% came from Europe, 7.6% came from Latin America and 2.7% from other parts of the world. The percentage of visitors from North America and other parts of the world increased while the percentage from Europe and Latin America decreased.
Seeing the accommodation categories, in 2022, 36.3% of visitors stayed in High-Rise hotels; 9.3% stayed in Low-Rise hotels; 29.4% stayed in Timeshare and 25.0% stayed in other types of accommodation, known also as vacation rentals.
The percentage of visitors that stayed in Low-Rise, Timeshare and other types of accommodations increased, while the percentage of visitors that stayed in High-Rise decreased.
It is important to mention that ATA has access to a platform where it is possible to see the amount of houses, apartments and villas that are used as vacation rentals, as well as the average price per night, occupation and a calculation of the income generated by these.
If 2022 is compared to 2019, it can be noted that the average price for these accommodations increased with 32%, from an average of $172 per night in 2019 to an average of $227 per night in 2022. If 2022 is compared to 2019, it can be noted that the average occupation of these accommodations increased with five percentage points, from an average of 49% in 2019 to an average of 54% in 2022. In the case of income, if 2022 is compared to 2019, it can be seen that the category generated an increase of income of 115%.
2023
For 2023, four indicators will be once more used to measure tourism. Compared to 2019, in 2023 it is predicted that the amount of visitors will recover 2015; tourism income will recover 117%; hotel room income, according to AHATA numbers will recover 100%; the amount of cruise visitors will recover between 90% and 100%.
