As in many other destinations globally, there wasn't a single cruise ship call from March to year's end.
Leisure air visitors were down, too, 86.8%, with airline seats reduced by 70.6% during 2020.
2019 had been a record cruise year
Total visitor arrivals fell from 808,000 in 2019 — of which cruisers accounted for the lion's share, a record 536,000, versus 269,000 by air — to 53,000 in 2020, with just 9,000 cruise arrivals versus 42,000 air arrivals.
Until 2020, cruise visitors had outnumbered other visitors every year since 2006.
The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) cited a sliver of positive momentum in late summer and early fall which permitted some economic activity in tourism. A short-lived, gradual recovery took shape late in the year, with 26% of leisure air visitor volume returned in October, up from 16% in September, 10% in August and 5% in July.
In November, the recovery figures began to fall off as the pandemic’s winter surge took hold in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. That notwithstanding, the initial industry performance upon reopening the border provided important lessons, according to BTA in its report.
COVID testing No. 1 reason consumers chose Bermuda
BTA found that Bermuda’s traveler arrival process of aggressive COVID-19 testing was a critical factor in consumer decision-making. It was the top reason people chose Bermuda in the second half.
Endorsements for safety from the World Tourism & Travel Council and a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel warning which was reduced to the lowest possible risk level provided the credibility consumers were looking for before Bermuda’s own winter surge, BTA said.
In exit surveys, 98% of travelers said they felt 'safe' or 'very safe' from COVID-19 while in Bermuda between July and December.
BTA said the same sentiment motivated the PGA Tour to make the Bermuda Championship in October the first golf tour event to permit live spectators since the pandemic's onset. Professional sport organizers of sailing’s Bermuda Gold Cup and World Match Racing Tour and rugby’s World Tens Series had the same confidence in Bermuda for their events.
Cruising absent from 2021 outlook
Heading into the New Year many of the struggles from the prior year linger, BTA noted, setting up a very uncertain start to 2021. While vaccinations are under way in the countries that matter most to Bermuda, the rollout is 'slow and cumbersome.' Coronavirus variants are emerging.
Additionally, the US, UK and Canada continue to implement new, tighter restrictions on their citizens and their borders in an effort to discourage travel. This has a direct impact on demand and the number of seats airlines are willing to assign.
BTA stated reluctance to travel due to health and safety concerns and restrictive protocols remain enormous barriers in 2021, at least for the first half of the year. However, according to its report, these barriers should subside as the months tick by, giving reason for cautious optimism beyond spring.
Speaking of uncertainty, though, while the outlook discussed air capacity and hotel rooms, there wasn't one word about cruise tourism.
Perhaps cruising will come up in a virtual public outlook forum set for Feb. 19?
BTA's 2020 statistics are here.
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