July 2020 visitor counts decrease by 56.7%

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Visitors who came by private boat in July 2020 was down 1% from July 2019

Although last weekend saw a surge of visitors, July visitor data shows that Catalina Island is still feeling the economic impact of the pandemic. (See related story, page 1)

“July visitation decreased year-over-year in all but one sector, resulting in a total decrease of 56.7% in passengers over the same month last year,” according to the Love Catalina Island/Catalina Island Tourism Authority website. (Love Catalina Island /Catalina Island Tourism Authority is the new name of the local Chamber of Commerce.)

The exception was in visitors who came by private aircraft. In July of this year, 2,583 visitors flew in by private plane. Last July, private aircraft brought 2,337 visitors.

“July’s total in-bound passengers = 63,240, down 56.7% from last year @ 146,219. July 2020 was below the three-year average of 119,527 by 47.1%. July was below the five-year average of 129,562 by 51.2% and the ten-year average of 125,627 by 49.7%,” according to the Love Catalina/Tourism Authority website.

“People arriving by sea, including private boaters, was 59,803 for the month of July, down 57.8% from 141,664 last year,” according to the Love Catalina/Tourism Authority website.

Worth noting: the number of visitors who came by private boat in July 2020 was 1% fewer than the visitor count for July 2019.