| "Based on data available on tourist arrivals and | | | | The second biggest tourism market for Mauritius |
| information gathered from stakeholders, it is | | | | is Africa with a 23.4% share of total arrivals. That |
| expected that tourist arrivals for the year 2010 | | | | market contracted by 4.5% last year to reach |
| would be around 915,000, representing an increase | | | | 204,308 visitors. |
| of 5 per cent over the figure of 871,356 in 2009," | | | | The cruise tourism is one of the fastest growing |
| the Central Statistics Office said in a statement. | | | | in the world with emerging markets like China, |
| The island's tourism revenue for the year is | | | | India and Europe. Keeping this in mind, the Ministry |
| forecasted at around 40.1 billion rupees ($1.3 | | | | of Tourism invested 450 million rupees to build a |
| billion), up over 12 per cent on the 35.6 billion | | | | port for cruise ships of length 300m. The port |
| generated in 2009, close to the amount of Rs41.2 | | | | is the first of its kind in the Indian Ocean. |
| billion recorded in 2008. | | | | Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA), in collaboration |
| Mauritius has 46 large beach hotels with over 80 | | | | with tour operators, has embarked on an |
| rooms each, that is 45% of all registered hotels | | | | aggressive campaign to attract companies |
| across the country. The aggregate room capacity | | | | involved in the sector to use Port Louis as a |
| for these hotels was 8,647 with a total of 17,586 | | | | refueling port especially as the Caribbean ports |
| beds, representing 76% of total room capacity | | | | are saturated and huge potential exists in the |
| and bed places available in Mauritius and the | | | | Indian Ocean region. |
| smaller hotels seemed to fare well as compared | | | | The investment made by the Government will |
| to the larger ones. | | | | surely add to the revenue generated from this |
| Best known for its azure waters, white beaches | | | | sector. |
| and luxury spas, the country has pursued an | | | | Boom swaps |
| aggressive international marketing campaign, with | | | | The Bank of Mauritius had conducted a |
| hotels offering | | | | spot-to-one-month, forward currency swap |
| Discounts for bigger market share. Arrivals from | | | | transaction for an amount of EUR13.0 million on |
| Europe in 2009 fell 4.7 percent to 579,509, with | | | | Monday. |
| maximum decline in German arrivals at 16.6 | | | | Early this month the Central Bank had relaxed the |
| percent followed by the Italian and the British | | | | maturity period to less than a month instead of |
| visitors. | | | | three months considering the reluctance of |
| Visitors from Asia also decreased by 14.6 per | | | | investors to tie up resources for three months. |
| cent with a decrease of 10.6 percent and Japan | | | | The transaction amounts to Rs 520 million and will |
| by 22.8 per cent. | | | | mature on 26 March 2010. |