The State of the Caribbean Tourism Industry

Tourism growth – in land and sea visitor arrivals, accommodations development and infrastructure building – is in focus for Caribbean destinations attending this week’s State of the Industry Conference hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).

Several countries, including the Cayman Islands, the conference’s host nation, and Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and the U.S. Virgin Islands all reported increased year-over-year visitor arrivals growth.

“This is a critical time for tourism in the region as we welcome new and increased airlift and cruise calls to our destinations,” said Ian Gooding-Edghill, the Barbados tourism minister, who was elected CTO’s chairman during the conference. Gooding-Edghill replaces Kenneth Bryan, the Cayman Islands tourism minister, in the role.

ANGUILLA 

One of the Caribbean’s smallest islands welcomed 47,097 overnight land-based visitors between January and April of this year, a 15 percent year-over-year increase. Tiny Anguilla is in the midst of a large-scale tourism expansion fueled by growing air links.

This year, American Airlines added a third weekly direct flight from Miami to Anguilla, which will operate between December and March 2025. American Airlines established the first direct flights from the U.S. in 2021and now operates 11 weekly flights to the country.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

The dual-island nation posted a 16 percent year-over-year arrivals increase to 205,004 visitor arrivals, which also represents an 11 percent increase over pre-pandemic 2019.

American Airlines, JetBlue, Delta, United and WestJet are all expanding flights and increasing connectivity, said Colin James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

Cruise arrivals also trended higher, as 561,485 travelers arrived at Antigua and Barbuda aboard cruise ships, a 28 percent year-over-year increase.

The country is also poised to increase the homeporting of cruise ships, James said, as it will also build a new cruise port terminal to begin in October, with completion expected during the 2025/2026 season.

The southern Caribbean nation reported 431,798 overnight, land-based arrivals for the period January to July 2024, representing an increase of 16 percent over 2023. The United Kingdom has traditionally been Barbados’ largest market and remains so, however U.S. arrivals surged during the first half of 2024, totaling 140,476 visitors, a 40 percent increase over 2023.

The country’s visitor growth is tied to expanding air service. Beginning in November, American Airlines will launch a daily non-stop service from New York’s JFK airport; the airline will also start a Saturday-only service from Philadelphia and will expand its service from Boston to three times weekly.

Following a seven-year absence, Delta Air Lines will launch daily service to Barbados from Atlanta beginning in November. Delta will also launch a Saturday-only service from New York in December. Both services will operate through April 2025.

CAYMAN ISLANDS

The Cayman Islands reported 250,699 overnight, land-based visitors between January and June, the country’s third highest-ever visitation in the first half of any year, trailing only 2018 and 2019. The 2024 total represents a 6.5 percent compared to 2023.

The country this year reached a milestone with 8,082 hotel rooms, the most in its history. Recent openings include Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman and luxury boutique property VIDA.

On the cruise front, the Cayman Islands is one of a handful of Caribbean countries to record a decline in 2024 cruise visitation, as the country’s lack of a cruise pier has led cruise operators to deploy their ever-larger ships away from the destination.

The country has scheduled a referendum on the construction of a cruise ship berthing facility, said Kenneth Bryan, the country’s tourism minister. The government withdrew a $250 million proposed cruise port project in 2019 amid intense opposition from local environmental groups.

OTHER DESTINATIONS

Dominica recorded 306,601 cruise during its 2023/2024 cruise season, an 11 percent increase over previous year. The country set a new record in December 2023 with 71,000 cruise visitors.

Sint Maarten’s Princess Juiliana Airport recorded a 16 percent year-over-year increase in passenger arrivals during the first four months of 2024.

Additionally, the Turks and Caicos’ airline capacity increased significantly between January and July, “indicating a robust growth in air travel demand” for the destination, according to Turks and Caicos minister of tourism Josephine Connolly.

The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) expects to record a 24 percent increase in airlift arrivals in 2024 over 2023. In addition, the USVI is expected to see an eight percent increase in cruise passenger arrivals in 2024.

Source: Travel Pulse