Find Tourism and Travel partners in St Kitts and Nevis

Overview

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimate that the total contribution to GDP by travel and tourism was 28% in 2011. Consequently the WTTC positioned St Kitts and Nevis 21st out of 181 countries in relation to relative contribution of tourism to the national economy (GDP), 14% above the world average. Tourism’s contribution to the economy is set to rise by 4.7% pa to 2022. The sector accounts for around 26.4% of total employment, with 6,500 jobs created either directly or indirectly by the industry. Visitor exports generated 42.2% of total exports in 2011 (WTTC) and this figure was forecast to rise in line with general growth in the industry. The greatest income within the tourism sector comes from leisure spending by foreign tourists. In 2011 the country was ranked fourth in the British Airways top holidays destinations.  In 2010 St Kitts and Nevis received 92,000 tourists.

Investment 

The two Islands of St Kitts and Nevis have separate tourist boards – the Nevis Tourism Authority and the St Kitts Tourism Authority. These authorities work under the Ministry of Tourism to promote St Kitts and Nevis internationally. The principal target audiences are Europe and North America. Successful attractions of the country’s tourism industry include historical and cultural tourism, leisure pursuits, wildlife, beaches, relaxation and ecotourism. The wedding and honeymoon industry is a growing and competitive industry around the Caribbean with bases in both St Kitts and Nevis. St Kitts is also promoting itself as a destination for corporate events and incentives.

In 2011 investment in the travel and tourism sector was XCD99.1mn, constituting 17.0% of total investment.  This was expected to rise by 0.2% in 2012, and then continue to rise by 4.2% pa over the following ten years, reaching XCD150.6mn by 2022.