A&B records decline in hotel occupancy for December, sources say

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Hotels in Antigua & Barbuda are preparing for a downturn in bookings, when compared to last season, due to low occupancy rates reported in December.

Sources within the sector, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told OBSERVER media that the majority of large and small hotels have experienced a decline in occupancy in December 2016, and are reporting that bookings for early 2017 have shown a downward trend.

“What we’re seeing is we’re going into a slower winter, and Antigua doesn’t like to admit it,” one source within the hotel industry said. “The whole Caribbean is in a slowdown. It’s not a big recession like in 2008 … but we’re in a slowdown, and maybe a reversal of last year’s growth.”

While one luxury hotel in Antigua & Barbuda reported a 7 per cent decline in occupancy during December 2016 when compared to December 2015, another reported a decline as high as 19 per cent in December.

More in today’s Daily Observer.

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