Business View Caribbean - August/September 2018

6 7 vision and spirit of collaboration to drive perfor- mance, the Cayman Islands tourism industry has maintained impressive, oftentimes, double-digit increases for a sustained period. This is helping to keep hospitality service workers employed throughout the summer and is also adding a significant boost to our Islands’ economy. Prelim- inary estimates from the Department of Tourism indicate that between January and May 2018, visitor spending from cruise and stay over arrivals contributed CI$325 million (US$400 million) to the national coffers – an increase of $45 million compared to the same period last year – and this is expected to further increase through June.” Arrivals from the United States in June were up 13.89 percent and were driven by growth in the Midwest and Southwest regions, which saw 23.67 and 21.56 percent growth respectively. The Northeast saw an increase of 6.59 percent, while the Southeast and West Coast saw an increase of 9.82 percent and 1.61 percent respectively. Can- ada saw its 12th consecutive month of growth with an increase of 20.36 percent. Additionally, to continued growth in 2018, the Cayman Islands and several local partners have been highly-awarded during the first half of the year with many accolades such as mentions in TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards, USA Today and Caribbean Journal. Over the past six months, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has executed a multi-faceted marketing plan to increase brand awareness and flatten seasonality while also fostering opportu- nities for small businesses to play a part in the tourism product. In January, DOT launched its “Summer Only in Cayman” promotion, which, this year, leveraged Cayman’s position as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean with a Kid’s Culinary OPENING LINES Capital of the Caribbean promotion. The promo- tion invited families to savor the endless array of cuisines available on-island by an impressive ros- ter of local chefs and included curated epicurean experiences for even the youngest of authentic culinary seekers. In March, DOT signed a memorandum of under- standing (MOU) with Airbnb. The memorandum provided an opportunity for cooperation on key issues such as the sharing of aggregate data as well as the provision of information on relevant accommodations laws and regulations, which help to ensure all guests, regardless of accommo- dations, experience the same quality of product. There are now over 470 Airbnb properties regis- tered with Airbnb and that number is expected to grow over the course of this year. Airbnb and DOT officials held a meeting for hosts on July 10, to engage this fast-growing sector of our local tourism industry. “It is extremely encouraging to see growth in visitation for the first half of the year at a speed we have not seen since 2004,” remarked Director of Tourism, Rosa Harris. “As a Department, we are always looking for new, innovative ways to drive visitation while staying true to our commitment to creating sustainable tourism policies for the benefit of our people. Through continued en- gagement with local stakeholders and the wider community, I am optimistic that together we can create a national tourism plan that provides a blueprint for further successes.” The Cayman Islands is poised to see continued growth throughout the second half of the year. DOT will soon roll out its annual “Fall Only in Cayman” promotion, which features compelling offers on everything from world-class accommo- dations to immersive land and sea experiences.