Vexed Bermoothes

The 2008 Tourism numbers are out – we are down 12 percent before the damn recession even started.  Spending is down even further.  In 2008, hotels had only 59 percent average daily occupancy and are reporting advance bookings for 2009 are 20-30 percent below that (which is expected based on similar forecasts from the US).

The tourism situation is probably worse than it seems, as it is not clear when they shifted from counting tourist arrivals only to total air arrivals (including residents and business travelers).

Cruise numbers are down 19 percent – but they expect an 11 percent rebound this year when the new $50 million pier at Dockyard comes online.  They hope those numbers will bounce even further in 2010.  After that huge investment, they’d better!  Let’s hope that Government also redoubles its efforts to find smaller ships for Hamilton and St Georges to support a diverse retail community.

Some positive moves:  the experienced Tourism sales leader is much needed.  And thank goodness they plan on rebuilding that creaky Tourism website.  The efforts to boost morale (and local employment)  in the tourist sector are long overdue.

Great news on the additional JetBlue flights from New York.  Are we paying a “bounty” for those flights as we have for other JetBlue runs?

Bazarian says that the Park Hyatt is still a go.  The 100-room Tuckers Point will open this year, and a big overhaul is underway at The Reefs.  There is no mention of CoCo Reef, Wyndham, the hotel in Hamilton, or Jumeirah.

The  report says that more tourists are staying in private homes now.  Well isn’t that what “fractional” properties are?  These are the same people who used to come stay in the cottage colonies – now they stay in their own place.  This will accelerate as the flood of planned fractionals are actually built. (Update – no, apparently fractionals are counted as hotels.  This is a mystery.)

They are continuing to try and develop new markets in China and South America?  Give me a break.