International Travel & Tourism

January to September 2009 - Highlights

Passenger traffic

Total passenger arrivals during the period January to September 2009 numbered 819,741 representing a decrease of 8.4% over the figure of 894,597 for the corresponding period of 2008. During the same period, passenger departures numbered 848,060 (-7.1%).

Tourist arrivals

Tourist arrivals for the first nine months of 2009 attained 608,885. This represents a decrease of 9.7% over the figure of 674,164 registered in the corresponding period of 2008.

Arrivals from Europe decreased by 7.0% to 403,436 with a 2.8% rise in arrivals from France, our leading market. As regards the other major generating countries, the following performances were recorded in arrivals: United Kingdom (-6.5%), Italy (-15.2%) and Germany (-19.1%).

Tourist arrivals from Africa contracted by 9.6% to 142,420. Arrivals from Reunion Island grew by 7.1% while those from the Republic of South Africa, our other major market of the region, went down by 20.9%.

Arrivals from the Asian market went down by 20.6% to attain 44,491, with India, the major generating country of the continent, registering a fall of 18.9%. The performance of other Asian countries was as follows: People’s Republic of China (-18.8%), United Arab Emirates (-25.0%), Singapore (-26.2%), Japan (-26.5%), Malaysia (-27.4%) and Hong Kong (-39.6%).

Tourist arrivals from Oceania fell by 45.9% and those from America shrunk by 9.9%. Arrivals from these two continents numbered 17,694 representing only 2.9% of the total.

Tourism receipts

Gross tourism receipts for the first nine months of 2009 were estimated by the Bank of Mauritius at Rs 25,685 million, that is, a decrease of 16.6% compared to Rs 30,801 million for the same period of 2008.

Hotel Statistics

At the end of September 2009, there were 100 registered hotels in operation, with a total room capacity of 11,102 and 22,530 bedplaces. The average room occupancy rate for all hotels for the first nine months of 2009 was 58% while bed occupancy rate averaged 52%.

Forecast 2009

Based on data available on tourist arrivals for the first nine months of the year and information gathered from stakeholders, tourist arrivals for the year 2009 has been revised upward to 840,000 i.e. a decline of 9.7% over the figure of 930,456 in 2008.

According to the Bank of Mauritius, tourism receipts for the year 2009 will be around Rs 36.0 billion (-12.6%) compared to Rs 41.2 billion in 2008.