WHILE STAY-OVER VISITORS arriving in Barbados have increased in the last year between January to October 2006 and 2007, the markets have shown a decrease in visitors from Germany, Trinidad and Tobago and other CARICOM markets.

That is according to the Barbados Statistical Service's (BSS) recent report called Comparison Tourist Arrivals by Country of Residence between January to October 2006 and 2007.

It stated that while 471 541, or two per cent more visitors, arrived and stayed on the island, there had been a decrease of 27.3 per cent stay-over arrivals from Germany, a 12.2 per cent decrease from Trinidad and Tobago and a decrease of 19 per cent for the other regional islands combined.

BSS also said Barbados had seen an increase of visitors arriving from the United States, by 2.8 per cent, Canada by 5.7 per cent, the United Kingdom by 6.3 per cent, other European countries by 7.1 per cent and other countries by a resounding 56.1 per cent.

In addition, it said there had also been an increase of more than 12 per cent of cruise passengers arriving here. This represents 33 more vessels, or 10.7 per cent more cruiseliners, when compared with the corresponding period in 2006.

(TM)