Phenomenal rebound in Nevis’ tourism propelling post-Covid economic recovery on the island
NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (May 31, 2024)- Nevis’ tourism sector is experiencing a post-Covid resurgence that has exceeded expectation, Minister of Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) the Honourable Premier Mark Brantley has revealed.
“I want to say how pleased we have been that tourism in Nevis has well and truly rebounded in a very significant way,” he said at his May 28 press conference. “We’re not just seeing a resurgence, we are seeing numbers that the island has never seen before. We are seeing pre-pandemic-plus numbers. Tourism in Nevis right now, it’s really phenomenal what we’re seeing.”
The Premier reported that for March 2024 earnings from the two percent Tourism Development Levy (TDL) charged at restaurants and on hotel accommodation bills was up 7.45 percent over March 2023. He further revealed that April’s TDL receipts were up 2.41 percent over 2023 and the TDL intake for May is up 16.73 percent over the corresponding period in 2023.
“To put that into context in terms of dollar value, in March we would have earned $364,035, in April we would have earned $523,711, and in May we would have earned thus far $441,317.
“Collection for May is up 22.3 percent over our pre-Covid numbers in 2019. May would normally be considered a month when we start to drop drastically because that is the start of the low season. I commend the NTA [Nevis Tourism Authority] team lead by Mr. Devon Liburd, the Board at the NTA for the excellent work that they’ve been doing thus far.”
Premier Brantley pointed to pent-up demand and an increased demand for Nevis’ particular brand of tourism product- the authentic Caribbean experience- for the growth in tourism on the island.
“I believe more and more discerning guests are recognizing that Nevis remains a very special place,” he stated.
The Tourism Minister also credited the marketing efforts that are gaining traction in source markets, the Four Seasons Resort [Nevis] marketing, and the new airlift into the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport on St. Kitts for the upward trend in Nevis’ tourism.