BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean tourism industry is expected to continue its growth this year, but prevailing economic uncertainties and slowdowns in major source markets during the first quarter of the year could affect the pace at which the sector is growing.
Director of Research at the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Aliyyah Shakeer, said the CTO now anticipates that overnight visitor arrivals will increase by two to five per cent, reaching approximately 35 million.
The outlook for the cruise sector remains positive, with cruise arrivals expected to grow to seven per cent reaching an estimated 36 million visitors.
“The Caribbean’s continued growth is a testament to the strength of our regional collaboration and the enduring appeal of our destinations,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, CTO’s Secretary-General.
“Despite geopolitical uncertainty and global economic challenges, our sector has shown remarkable resilience. To maintain this momentum, we must double down on strategic investments, innovative partnerships, and sustainable practices that protect our people, our culture and our environment. The future of Caribbean tourism is not only bright – it is ours to shape,” she added.
The CTO said that the regional tourism sector continued its robust recovery and expansion in 2024, with international tourist arrivals reaching an estimated 34.2 million.
A new report released by the CTO shows that the figure represents a 6.1 per cent increase compared to 2023, and a 6.9 per cent rise above pre-pandemic levels, marking the second consecutive year that the region has outperformed the 2019 benchmark.
The CTO said its “Caribbean Tourism Performance Review 2024” highlights the region’s resilience and enduring appeal, driven by factors such as strong demand from the United States, a rebounding Canadian market, and enhanced air connectivity.
According to the CTO, the Dominican Republic remained the Caribbean’s most visited destination in 2024, welcoming 8.5 million tourists. Jamaica followed with 2.9 million arrivals, and Cuba 2.2 million.
The Bahamas registered 1.9 million million, followed by Aruba at 1.4 million and Puerto Rico, one million. Collectively, these six destinations accounted for approximately 56 per cent of all visitor arrivals to the region.
The CTO said that the highest year-over-year growth in tourist arrivals was recorded in Montserrat, which saw a 29.4 per cent increase, followed by St. Vincent and the Grenadines at 27.2 per cent, followed by Belize with 22.8 per cent and Curaçao at 20.3 per cent. These destinations posted the strongest relative gains in visitor numbers across the Caribbean in 2024.
The Barbados-based CTO said that compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, Curaçao emerged as the best-performing destination with a 51.1 per cent increase, followed by St. Maarten with 48 per cent growth, and 41.8 per cent in the United States Virgin Islands.
The United States remained the top source market, with approximately 16.8 million arrivals, a 3.5 per cent increase from 2023 and 7.9 per cent above pre-pandemic levels.
Canadian arrivals reached 3.3 million, a four per cent increase compared to 2023, though still slightly below 2019 levels. European arrivals showed slower growth, with a 1.4 per cent increase to 5.3 million, representing 89.4 percent of 2019 levels.
The report noted that driven by ongoing efforts to enhance air connectivity and services across the region, intra-Caribbean travel experienced growth in 2024. Residents of the Caribbean took an estimated 1.6 million tourist trips within the region, an increase of 5.1 per cent over 2023, though still only 79.2 per cent of pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019.
The South American market saw the highest growth in 2024, with arrivals reaching two million by the end of the year, marking a 17.8 per cent increase.
“This sustained growth led to a 19.7 per cent rise compared to 2019’s arrivals. Improved political and economic stability, along with strong travel demand in key markets like Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia, contributed to these results.”
The CTO said the Caribbean cruise industry experienced a significant rebound, with 33.7 million cruise visits in 2024, a 10.3 per cent increase over 2023, and a 10.9 per cent increase over pre-pandemic levels.
The Caribbean hotel sector also performed strongly, with occupancy rates reaching 66.6 per cent, a 0.8 per cent increase from the previous year, and the Average Daily Rate (ADR) increasing by 4.2 per cent to US$437.02.
