May_BVC

46 47 MINISTRY OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, TOURISM & TRANSPORT - CAYMAN ISLANDS TOURISM IS EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS R ecord-breaking arrivals for 2017 in both air and cruise visitation represented the best year of recorded statistical data, ever, for the Cayman Islands. A total of 418,403 stayover visitors (an 8.55 percent in- crease over 2016) and 1,728,444 cruisers visited the islands. Recently, Business View Magazine interviewed Deputy Premier Hon. Moses I. Kirkconnell, Minis- ter of District Administration, Tourism and Trans- port (DATT) about the challenges and successes that make Cayman Islands tourism such a fasci- nating industry. The following is an edited tran- script of that conversation: BVM: Thank you for speaking with us, Minister Kirkconnell. By all accounts, tourism in the Cay- man Islands is achieving great success.What part