Antigua welcomes over 1.1M tourists in 2024

Antigua and Barbuda: Over 1.1 million tourists arrived in Antigua and Barbuda in 2024 through airlift, cruise and yachting sector. With this, the tourism industry recorded a 15% hike from 2019 which was one of the best years for passenger arrivals on record. 

The statistics were revealed by portfolio minister Charles Fernandez who expressed optimism for the tourism industry of Antigua and Barbuda. He called it a record year and noted that the tourism sector is on peak as they are about to touch the mark of 1.1 million tourists by the end of 2024. 

The growth was recorded in three components of the sectors including air, cruise and yacht. In terms of cruise, Antigua and Barbuda is expected to welcome over 800,000 passengers and for cruise, 320,000 will be recorded mark by the end of 2024. 

The robust performance in Air arrivals was on full display at the VC Bird International Airport when a record number of flights were received on Saturday, December 21. The Minister confirmed the number actually exceeded the 51 flights previously mentioned for the day. 

“We also did not include the two flights from Norse Atlantic airline that bring the passengers to the cruise line, so if were to add those, then we up to 55 which is really tremendous,” the Minister noted. 

In addition to that, the Ministry of Tourism of Antigua and Barbuda also welcomed fresh accolades from the Caribbean Journal which was awarded to the country for being the Caribbean destination of the year. The Tourism Authority has also been named the Caribbean’s Tourist Board of the year and the ministry expressed excitement about the prospects for 2025 expected to be yet another record year. 

He said that more major projects are set to begin materializing in the first quarter. Minister noted that the country is gearing up for the opening of Marriott and there are other two new hotel properties on which the work will start in the first quarter of 2025.