Visitor arrivals to Anguilla’s shores during the month of September 2003 were 3,482 in comparison to 3,767 for the same period in 2002; this amounted to a 7.6% decline. This month’s figure accounted for the third largest decline for the year thus far and the second smallest recorded figure for the month of September since 1999. While the overall number of visitors declined the more economically significant tourist increased in number indicating that the overall reduction was due to weakness among excursionists.

Tourists (Stay-Over Visitors)

967 tourists came to the island during September 2003 as compared to 787 in 2002, a 22.9% increase. This is the largest number of tourists during the month of September since 2000. This was particularly encouraging as the larger hotels in Anguilla were closed in September.

As is usually the case, tourist arrivals made the smaller contribution to visitor arrivals than excursionists, accounting for 27.7%. Of the 967 tourists, Wallblake Airport was the port of entry that registered the most arrivals this month, 629 came through this port and Blowing Point accounted for the remaining 338 tourists.

On average for this month, the length of stay was up slightly by 7.8 days compared to 7.7 days during September 2002. 37.5% of the 967 tourists spent 4-7 days, followed by 31.3% who spent 1-3 days, with the least percentage number of tourists 3.8% spending 16-22 days.

During the month of September 2003, most of Anguilla’s tourists, 42.3%, originated out of other Caribbean territories, with the USA being the second largest market with 28.1%. This is unusual as the United States is Anguilla’s largest market at other times of the year. The UK tourist market showed growth, recording a 6% increase over its corresponding September 2002 figure.

Excursionists

Excursionists accounted for the greater portion of visitor arrivals. 2,515 excursionists visited the island in September as compared to 2,980 in the corresponding 2002 period, a 15.6% decline.

32% of excursionists were from the USA, this country of residence proved to be the one from which the largest number of excursionists came. Anguilla’s other main sources of excursionists during the month of September 2003 were The Dutch West Indies (St. Maarten) followed by Europe and the French West Indies (St. Martin) with 15.5%, 13.6% and 13.8% respectively.

Blowing Point, as was the case in the previous months of the year was the main port of entry for excursionists accounting for 91.6% of the 2,515 arrivals in the month of September 2003.

Tourism Summary Data
3rd Quarter 2003
July – September

The third quarter of this year showed continued strengthening of the tourism sector. Visitor arrivals to Anguilla for the 3rd quarter of 2003 saw an annual increase of 6.9% compared to declines of 8.7% and 4.4% in the first and second quarters respectively.

Individual monthly percentage changes in visitors for the third quarter were 12.0% in July, 7.3% in August and a decline of 7.6% in September in comparison to last year’s corresponding totals. Over the past three years’ 3rd quarter, visitor arrivals have been on the upturn with 21,870 in 2001, 24,734 in 2002 and 26,449 in 2003.

In 2003, January to September visitor arrivals totaled 84,091 compared to 86,527 in 2002 still an overall decline of 2.8% from last year due to the weaknesses in the first half of the year when Anguilla received most of her visitors.

Tourist arrivals have shown an earlier pattern of strengthening than excursionist arrivals. There was a 15.7% increase in tourist arrivals during the third quarter. This increase was larger than the second quarter, which was 7.3% and the first when tourist arrivals declined by 5.5%. The greatest monthly increase in tourist arrivals over the 2002-quarter was in the month of September with 22.9% even though it had the least absolute number of arrivals. The increase for the year to date in tourist arrivals is 3.9%.

Arrivals of excursionists for the third quarter were the main contributor to visitor arrivals to the island, recording a total of 17,084. The third quarter was the first this year to show an increase over 2002 at 2.7%. This has been the highest registered number of excursionists during this quarter July to September since 1994, however excursionists contribute less to the economy than tourists, as they do not stay over. To date this year, 49,202 excursionists came to Anguilla, a 7.1 % decline over the 2002 corresponding period.

The largest contribution to the year-to-date total number of excursionists was the third quarter, accounting for 34.7% followed by the first quarter then the second with 34.0% and 31.3% respectively, in contrast to the 2002 figure where the first quarter was the largest contributor with 35.5% followed by the second and third quarters, with 33.1% and 31.4% respectively. The change in the seasonal pattern of excursionists is likely explained by the success of the summer festival this year and the High School anniversary celebrations.

Port of Arrivals
Overall visitor arrivals (Day and Stay over) through Blowing Point port for this period were 17,126 an increase of 13% over 2002, at the same time visitor arrivals through the Wallblake Airport registered 5,803 a 5.5% increase from last year’s corresponding period. The majority of excursionists’ arrivals disembarked at the Blowing Point port, while most of the stay-overs arrived through the airport.

Length of Stay
3,775 (40.3%) of the 9,365 tourists who visited during the quarter July to September 2003 spent between 4-7 days. 2,696 (28.7%) stayed 8-15 days, while 1,800 (19.2%) stayed 1-3 days and the remaining 1,056 stayed between 16 to 23+ days. On average the length of stay was 8.6 days when compared to 8.2 of last year third quarter 2002. This was the same as the second quarter and slightly less than in the first quarter of the year

Market Sources of Visitors
Of the 26, 449 visitor arrivals to Anguilla during the 3rd quarter of 2003, just under 50% came from the USA. The Caribbean followed by the French West Indies (St Martin) and Dutch West Indies (St Maarten) with 13.1%, 10.9% and 10.6% respectively were the other main contributors.

The Canadian market proved to be the country of residence with the greatest percentage increase of 26.8% arrivals in the 3rd quarter of 2003 over the corresponding 2002 period. Other countries showing increases were the United Kingdom with (22.8%), and Italy and Europe (13.5%).

Countries showing declines in arrivals over the 2002 period were Germany and the Dutch West Indies. However, in total there was a 6.9% overall increase in visitor arrivals in the period under examination as compared to its 2002 corresponding period.

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