ORANJESTAD – Aruba welcomed a total of 176,488 stay-over visitors in the first 2 months of 2018. This is 1.8 % (+ 3.056) tourists more than the same period last year. If we exclude the Venezuelan tourists, we can see an increase of 7.2 % (+ 11.487) tourists which makes 170,630 visitors staying at our island. The numbers indicate a growth in the main markets for Aruba: United States, Canada, The Netherlands and Argentina.
In only the month of February Aruba welcomed a total of 85,017 visitors that stayed over,
a growth of 1 % compared to last year. If we exclude the Venezuelan market, we can even mark a growth of 6.3 %, equal to 83,695 visitors in February 2018.
Tourism ‘stay-over’
Aruba is represented by three different continents. Compared to last year in February, in 2018 tourists coming from the Northern American continent increased with 7.6 % (+ 4.751 tourists/total 67,431 tourists) and they make up for 79.3 % of the total tourism on the island. February the United States market showed a plus of 7.5 % (+ 4.271 tourists/61,120 total) and Canada 8.2 % (+ 480 tourists/total 6,311 tourists).
For the first two months of the year North America brought 134,158 tourists to Aruba, an
increase of 7.9 % (+ 9,849 tourists). The continent Latin-America decreased with 29.5 % (- 3,877 tourists/total 9,255 tourists) and Venezuela lowered with 75.6 % (- 4,098 tourists/total 1,322 tourists) compared to February last year. Brazil increased with 29 % (+ 239 tourists/total 1,062 tourists) and Argentina with 9.2 % (+ 236 tourists, total 2,808 tourists). In total the continent of Latin America made up for 10.9 % of all tourists in the month of February 2018. In the first two months Latin America has brought 24,172 tourists to Aruba, this means 22.9 % (- 7,167 tourists) less than last year in the same months.
Europe shows an increase of 5 % (+ 296 tourists/total 6,248 tourists) compared to the same month last year. The Netherlands show a plus of 6.3 % (+ 185 tourists/total 3,104 tourists) while the United Kingdom lowered with 14.8 % (- 25 tourists/total 202 tourists). Germany increased with 6 % (+ 20 tourists/total 353 tourists). Europe represents 7.3 % of tourism in Aruba for the month of February. The first two months Europe brought 13,532 tourists to Aruba, an increase of 5.6 % (+ 723 tourists).
Cruise Tourism
During February 99.303 cruise passengers visited our island with a total of 41 different cruise ships. Compared to February last year, cruise tourism grew with 8.6 % (+ 7,883 tourists). February 2017 brought in 91,420 cruise passengers with 83 cruise ships. The first two months of 2018, 207.601 cruise tourists visited Aruba, an increase of 14.6 %, 26,447 tourists in total with 94 different cruise ships (14.6 % growth and 12 ships more). It is relevant to mention that January and February are months more occupied than normal, due to the ‘aftermath’ of the hurricanes in the last three months of 2017 that affected highly on other Caribbean destinations.
Tourism Receipts / Central Bank of Aruba
The Central Bank of Aruba informs the public that the ‘Tourism Receipts’ for the first 9 months of 2017 were AWG 2.292.6 million, an increase of 4 % compared to the same period in 2016.
Hotels / AHATA
According to the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association for the month of February 2018, the ‘Average Daily Rate’ (ADR) increased with 8.5% compared to February 2017. In dollars: US$ 312.96 in 2017 compared to US$ 339.71 in 2018. The Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) plusses with 13.3%, from US$ 279.56 February 2017 to US$ 316.77 February 2018. The Occupied Room Number (ORN) grew with 3.4% in February 2018 Numbers of AHATA are based on 14 properties including the majority of the hotels with the exception of Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino.
