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In 2006 St Vincent and the Grenadines registered a record number of visitors to its shores. A total of 306,578 arrivals were recorded, which is an increase of 19.7% over the 2005 figure of 256,075. Stayover arrivals increased by 2.0% with 97,432 visitors compared with 95,504 in 2005. The same-day category registered an increase for the first time since 2003 with 9,034 visitors compared with 8,928 in 2005.
The 2006/2007 Cruise season has seen a number of inaugural cruise calls, to the joy of the Ministry of Tourism and Vincentians alike". Port Kingstown saw the inaugural calls of the "Blue Moon", "Ocean Village" and "Maasdam". The "Blue Moon" has a passenger capacity of 800 persons while "Ocean Village" can transport 1590 passengers. "Maasdam", which docked in port Kingstown on Friday April 27th has a carrying capacity of 1200 persons. On each occasion visitors were greeted with traditional string band music from the "Harmonites" band as well as samples of local food and drink.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, part of the Windward Islands, are located at 13° 15 N, 61° 12 W. Their closest neighbours are Grenada, 120 km (75 miles) to the south, St. Lucia 40 km (24 miles) to the north and Barbados 160 km (100 miles) to the east. St. Vincent is the largest of the more than 30 islands that comprise the nation, covering roughly 390 sq. km (150 sq. miles). The Grenadines extend 72 km (45 miles) to the southwest, like a kite's tail. The major islands, north to south, are Young Island, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Union Island, Palm Island, and Petit St. Vincent.
St. Vincent has a mountainous interior, having La Soufriere, an active volcano in the north rising to 1,220 m (4,000 ft.) as its highest point, and a sheltered and indented coastline on the Leeward coast. St. Vincent is roughly 29 km (18 miles) long and 17.7 km (11 miles) wide and has an area of 344 sq. km (133 sq. miles), while the Grenadines comprise an additional 44 sq. km (17 square miles). Bequia covers 18 sq. km (7 sq. miles) and its highest peak is 268 m (881 ft.). The island of Mustique is 5 sq. km (1.9 sq. miles) and rises to 151 m (496 ft.) at its highest. Mount Royal at 274 m (900 ft.) is the highest point in the7.5 sq. km (3 sq. miles) island of Canouan. The 5.5 km (3 1/2 mile) long Union Island features as its highest peak Mt. Tobai which soars to 305 m (1,000 ft.). The average yearly temperature is 27° C (81° F). The coolest months are between November and February. During the rainy season, May through October, rain is frequent in the mountains of St. Vincent with the annual average rainfall being 380 cm (150 inches) inland and 200 cm (80 inches) on the coast.
There are six airports in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with E. T. Joshua Airport in Kingstown being the largest. The four small domestic airports are located in Bequia, Mustique, Canouan and Union Island. These airports are serviced by LIAT the Star of the Caribbean, SVG Air, Mustique Airways, and TIA. American Eagle services Canouan. A departure tax of EC$40 is charged to all passengers leaving the country.
Kingstown has a natural deepwater harbour with a wharf to accommodate two oceangoing ships. There are regular services between St. Vincent and the major ports in North America, Europe and the Caribbean. A new container park at Kingstown and a new container port at Campden Park have been completed.