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An American Airlines aircraft at Argyle International Airport in December 2018. (API photo)
An American Airlines aircraft at Argyle International Airport in December 2018. (API photo)

Visitor arrivals to St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for the first five months of 2019 have increased by 7.1 per cent. 

Provisional figures for the period January to May show that 232,916 visitors came to SVG  for the year thus far, compared with 217,453 in 2018. This is reflective of an additional 15,463 visitors to the destination, the SVG Tourism Authority said.

Arrivals by air also increased by 7.1 per cent with a total of 36,757 in 2019 compared with 34,335 in 2018 — or a difference of 2,486 stay-over visitors. 

The Canadian market registered the greatest increase for stay-over arrivals with an increase of 16.9 per cent while the United States market registered an increase of 11.4 per cent followed by the UK market with an increase of 10 per cent.

Yacht arrivals grew by 7.6 per cent during the months of January to May with a total of 37,926 yacht visitors for the five-month period in 2019, compared with 35,240 for the same period in 2018. 

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A total of 158,233 cruise visitors arrived in the destination for the same period registering an increase of 7 per cent over the 147,878 cruise visitors for the comparative period in 2018.

Since the opening of the Argyle International Airport in February 2017 three international carriers have been making weekly operating non-stop flights to the destination. 

Earlier this month, American Airlines announced a second weekly flight to the AIA from December 2019 when the airline will operate the current Saturday service along with a Wednesday service. 

The American Airline non-stop service to AIA will complement Caribbean Airlines’ weekly Wednesday non-stop service from JFK International, New York and Air Canada Rouge’s weekly Thursday non-stop service from Pearson International, Canada. 

Air Canada Rouge will again operate a second weekly Sunday non-stop service for the winter season commencing Dec. 15.

8 replies on “SVG sees increased visitor arrivals”

  1. keep up the positive work AIA , SVG , together we will RISE but divided we fall . There is a great amount of work left to be done .

  2. Elma Gabriel says:

    Should we Vincentians be surprised in reading these statistics? No because SVG is yet one of the loveliest Iles within the Caribbean and there is nowhere else to go with our economy but up. However, our focus in working towards prosperity is the continue building on our client service and hospitality strategies.
    Regardless to where we may reside or which political party is in the position of Government, SVG is ‘We Place’. In raising our SVG Flag as the smallest country within the ‘UN Security Council’ we are seen as ONE within a Nation of United People. In so deemed; we must lead by ‘putting our best foot forward’ as BIG Brothers are watching.

  3. Calliaquaman says:

    In my dreams

    My SVG leadership, please becareful about these numbers you are given out of visitors to our shores, there is an embedded breast also visited us call Tactistic, the same thing repeating it self .

    From the Statistical data which is contain 7s and Sevens (7s) is the Mark of the Breast. By those who put it out.

    I asked
    Is this the sign of the Breast in SVG ?
    Or is it a warning to those who is handling the data? The and “they must be accurate in the figures given to the public and when it is not right the number seven s(7) which reminds you that is it mark of the Breast and be aware. ”

    Also tell them that the breast will follow them when information is wrong at AIA, wharf, and Yatch s, about the arrivals of visitors.

    To remove the Mark of the Breast from you the blotted or inflated numbers must revive , and correct false information given to the public.

    Breast represent corruption”

  4. This is hopeful and as a progressive Vincentian I am proud to witness any positive impact on the island in the 21st century. However, without transparency in governance and denying tbe wishes of the electorate, is solid proof that St. Vincent and The Grenadines is being governed by a dictator.

  5. I hope the cruise ship visits are because they want to come here and not because so many of the other island nations to include thier hotels and ports, were very devastated by the recent hurricanes. I already know many that wanted to go on a Caribbean Cruise from Germany and found that many usual destinations are off-limits for the time being. We all know that politicians and thier supporters will tell us anything to get credit.

  6. Jannette Burke says:

    UK next to come on board as soon as the landing privileges are granted. Who knows, there may other European Air Lines ready to see the West Indies, now known as the Caribbean. Impoverished and led by a Dictator as some said, is unlike the turn of the 19th century.

  7. Hell will freeze over first Jannette Burke my dear, before you see such flights take place, while this local Stalinist Dictator is in power here.

    Don’t you believe the published propaganda that our Government so love to put out! Destinations to even highly desirable Barbados from England, the most likely starting point from Europe for European holidaymakers, they are these days simply half empty.

    Airlines do not operates in the same nebulous world as our ruling Gonsalves family!

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