Tourism arrivals down, led by 18.7% fall in sea passengers
VISITOR numbers fell in the second quarter of the year, the latest statistics have shown.
Figures show a fall of 1.5% from last year to 154,350 when cruise passengers and visiting yachtsmen are included.
Excluding cruise passengers and visiting yachtsmen, the figures are even bleaker at minus 8.7%. This was largely driven by a 18.7% drop in visitors travelling by sea, a fall of 7,450.
Air passenger numbers fell 1.2%, or 600, in the same period.
While cruise passenger and visiting yachtsman numbers are up on last year – by 9% and 1.9% respectively – they were not enough to lead an overall positive trend, said marketing and tourism director Mike Hopkins.
'Overall visitor numbers to May have been very disappointing, with the month of May being particularly tough for everyone, the decline in the number of visitors departing by sea having made the biggest impact,' he said.
