October 2019 Visitor Counts

2019 continues to underperform relative to prior year status.  Primary factors have been weather and facility closure.  Early in the year, poor weather resulted in both Cross Channel and Cruise Ship cancellations and in fewer boaters in the harbor. 

All Arrivals

October visitation increased year-over-year in most sectors, but cruise passenger counts were down significantly. 

October total in-bound passengers = 78,170, down 8.2% from last year @ 85,135.  October 2019 was below the three-year average of 86,233. October was below the five-year average of 87,734 but exceeded ten-year average @ 76,725.

Arrivals by Sea

Avalon's combined Cruise & Cross Channel in-bound passenger counts for October totaled 69,207, down 10.59% from 2018.  Total people arriving by sea, including private boaters, was 75,143 for the month, down 8.9% from 82,472 last year.

• October Cross Channel passenger counts were up 10.1% year-over-year @ 52,379.
• 2015 had the highest volume for the month @ 57,050 passengers.
• 2009 had the lowest volume for the month @ 31,323 passengers.
• October passenger counts were below the three-year average of 52,095 by .5%.
• Cross Channel Carriers made up 67% of total monthly arrivals.

• Cruise passenger counts were down 43.6% year-over-year @ 16,828
• The number of Cruise Ships calling on Avalon was down to 9 from 11 in October of 2018
• 2005 had the highest volume for the month @ 34,973.
• 2010 had the lowest volume for the month @ 11,113.
• October passenger counts were below the three-year average of 25,717 by 34.6%.
• October passenger counts were below the five-year average of 25,813 by 34.8%
• Cruise passengers made up 21.5% of total monthly arrivals.

• Private Boater counts were up 17.2% @ 5,936.
• 2015 had the highest volume for the month @ 6,528.
• 2013 had the lowest volume month @ 5,128.
• October counts were above the three-year average of 5,556 by 6.8%.
• October counts were above the five-year average of 5,688 by 4.4%
• October Boaters made up 7.59% of total monthly arrivals

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Arrivals by Air

Avalon's combined in-bound air passenger counts for October totaled 3,106, up 14.4% from 2018.    

• People aboard planes (Airport in the Sky) was up 35.7% year-over-year @ 1,575.
• 2019 had the highest volume of private aircraft passenger counts for the month @ 1,575.
• October counts were above the three-year average of 1,367 by 15.2%.
• Five and ten-year data sets are incomplete.
• October people aboard planes made up 2% of total monthly arrivals.

• People aboard Charter Helicopters was down year-over-year 3.1% @ 1,498.
• 2017 had the highest volume for the month @ 1,544.
• 2011 had the lowest volume for the month @ 872.
• October people aboard Helicopters made up 1.86% of total monthly arrivals.

Year-to-date Totals

• Year-to-date total arrivals = 894,520 down 4.6% from last year which was 937,617.  
• Year-to-date total arrivals is below the three-year average of 929,319 by 3.7%.
• Year-to-date total arrivals is below the five-year average of 923,913 by 3.2%.
• Year-to-date total arrivals is above the ten-year average of 824,816 by 8.5%

Note: the Airport in the Sky was closed January through May 2019 for runway repairs. 

To view historical data for total arrivals by sector, year and month in a spreadsheet form click here.  

Weather

Year-over-year comparison for highs, lows and precipitation is charted below for the month of October each year back to 2012. 

The number of rain days by month is charted below.  2019 represents the most rain days year-to-date with 53 days recorded.  2017 had 36 rain days, 2012 had 22 rain days for the same time period.  There were no rain days in October this year.