The overall May 2015 visitor count decreased 3.3 percent when compared with the same period last year, according to figures recently released by the Chamber of Commerce. In all, 79,468 guests came to the Island last month. Last year, 82,204 guests came.
The overall May 2015 visitor count decreased 3.3 percent when compared with the same period last year, according to figures recently released by the Chamber of Commerce. In all, 79,468 guests came to the Island last month. Last year, 82,204 guests came.
The May visitor count includes the more than 1,000 individuals who came during the Whatever, U.S.A. event at the end of the month. The year-to-date visitor count decrease is “due at least in part to fewer Mondays in March and April of this year vs. last; a few weather related cancellations/reschedules and fewer repositioning of ships making calls than last year,” according to the unsigned email from the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau. Cruise ships brought 18,672 individuals to Catalina in May 2015, a 7.2 percent decrease in cruise ship visitors from May 2014. “Cross channel carriers have likely also been impacted by May gray and June gloom weather. Finally, the YTD totals reflect corrections made to the tracking last month,” according to the email. Cross Channel Carriers brought 60,796 visitors last month, or 2.1 percent fewer individuals than last year.
The month-to-month figures also showed a decrease from April to May 2015, as 82,204 guests were counted in April, meaning 2,736 fewer individuals came to Catalina in May than in April. However, the statistics don’t include visitors who arrive by plane, by helicopter or by private boat.
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