Tribune Business Reporter
The first ten months of 2010 saw Grand Bahama experience a 40 per cent hike in visitor arrivals, according to the Central Bank of the Bahamas, which also highlighted increases of 8.3 per cent and 14.9 per cent for New Providence and the Family Islands respectively.
Grand Bahama's boost came "entirely" because of the 55.1 per cent rise in the number of cruise visitors coming to the island in the period leading up to October 2010.
Meanwhile, New Providence's increase was made up of a 4.1 per cent rise in stopover visitors and a 10.8 per cent jump in cruise arrivals.
The Family Islands saw a higher 13.5 per cent rise in stopover visitors and 15.1 per cent rise in sea arrivals.
The Central Bank's December 2010 report suggested that based on these figures, tourism sector output had "improved steadily".
Hotels in New Providence and Paradise Island reported that revenues rose 6.2 per cent year-over-year, while average occupancy rates increased by 1.7 per cent to 62.6 per cent and average daily room rates rose by 1.9 per cent of $231.96.
