‘Record’ tourism numbers from T20 tournament

Barbados’ hosting of the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup Final last month led to an unprecedented surge in visitor arrivals, accounting for 78.5 per cent of the country’s highest-ever increase for June, according to the Central Bank.

While specific revenue figures from the tournament were not available, Anton Belgrave, the Central Bank’s director of research and economic analysis, described its economic impact as “transformative”. 

Speaking to reporters on Monday in the Central Bank’s review of the economy’s performance in the first half of the year, Belgrave highlighted significant benefits to the accommodation industries.

“We talked about the revenue per available room, up 11 per cent alone for the hotels. You also would have seen an increase in the deposits of the hotels. So, the hotel sector would have obviously earned substantially from the [second quarter] period, inclusive of the World Cup performance,” Belgrave said.

Hotel occupancy rates grew by 9.6 percentage points compared to June 2023, reaching 54.8 per cent in June. Hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) saw a year-on-year increase of 63.3 per cent, while occupancy within the sharing economy expanded by 7.7 percentage points.

The influx of international cricket fans led to increased airlift capacity, with an additional 17 807 seats – a 24 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023. This resulted in tourist load factors expanding to 53.5 per cent, 4.2 percentage points higher than the previous period.

Long-stay tourist arrivals totalled an estimated 49 316 for June 2024, a 34.5 per cent increase over June 2023, marking the largest percentage increase on record for June outside of the pandemic recovery periods in 2021 and 2022.

The report noted that 19 of the 20 teams participating in the World Cup, except Papua New Guinea, visited Barbados in June. The tournament is estimated to have brought an additional 9 932 tourists to the island.

While the highest tourist arrivals came from Barbados’ traditional source markets – the US, UK, Canada, and CARICOM – India contributed the largest number of visitors from non-traditional markets, with an estimated 793 cricket fans attending the event.

The Barbados leg of the tournament included five group-stage matches, three Super-8 matches, and the finals between India and South Africa. To enhance the visitor experience, extensive renovations were carried out at Kensington Oval, and three designated fan zones were upgraded at Oistins, Pelican Village, and Haymans Market.

The Central Bank emphasised that beyond immediate economic gains, the global viewership of the World Cup has provided valuable exposure for Barbados. This exposure is expected to aid in attracting future visitors and investments, enhancing the island’s international visibility and reinforcing its reputation as a premier destination for sports tourism and a capable host for major international events.

The investments made for the tournament are expected to benefit both locals and visitors for years to come, potentially opening up new avenues for tourism growth and economic development, according to the Central Bank.  (EJ)