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BARBADOS (April 28, 2025) – The Caribbean tourism sector continued its robust recovery and expansion in 2024, with international tourist arrivals reaching an estimated 34.2 million, according to a new report from the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). This represents a 6.1% increase compared to 2023, and a 6.9% rise above pre-pandemic levels, marking the second consecutive year that the region has outperformed the 2019 benchmark.
The CTO’s “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.
Key Highlights from the Report:
- Overall Growth: The Caribbean saw approximately 34.2 million international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) in 2024, an increase of 6.1% over 2023 and 6.9% over 2019.
- Top Arrivals: The Dominican Republic remained the Caribbean’s most visited destination in 2024, welcoming 8.5 million tourists. Jamaica followed with 2.9 million arrivals, while Cuba (2.2 million), The Bahamas (1.9 million), Aruba (1.4 million), and Puerto Rico (1.0 million) reported top numbers. Collectively, these six destinations accounted for approximately 56 percent of all visitor arrivals to the region.
- YOY Growth: The highest year-over-year growth in tourist arrivals was recorded in Montserrat, which saw a 29.4 percent increase, followed by St. Vincent & the Grenadines (27.2 percent), Belize (22.8 percent), and Curaçao (20.3 percent). These destinations posted the strongest relative gains in visitor numbers across the Caribbean in 2024.
- Pre-pandemic Growth: Compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, Curaçao emerged as the best-performing destination with a 51.1 percent increase, followed by St. Maarten with 48 percent growth, and 41.8 percent in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Source Markets:
- The United States remained the top source market, with approximately 16.8 million arrivals, a 3.5% increase from 2023 and 7.9% above pre-pandemic levels.
- Canadian arrivals reached 3.3 million, a 4.0% increase compared to 2023, though still slightly below 2019 levels.
- European arrivals showed slower growth, with a 1.4% increase to 5.3 million, representing 89.4% of 2019 levels.
- 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% over 2023, though still only 79.2% of pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019.
- The South American market saw the highest growth in 2024, with arrivals reaching 2.0 million by the end of the year, marking a 17.8% increase. This sustained growth led to a 19.7% 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.
- Cruise Sector: The Caribbean cruise industry experienced a significant rebound, with 33.7 million cruise visits in 2024, a 10.3% increase over 2023, and a 10.9% increase over pre-pandemic levels.
- Hotel Sector: The Caribbean hotel sector also performed strongly, with occupancy rates reaching 66.6%, a 0.8% increase from the previous year, and the Average Daily Rate (ADR) increasing by 4.2% to US$437.02.
Challenges and Outlook:
“Tourism in the Caribbean is expected to continue growing in 2025. However, due to prevailing economic uncertainties and slowdowns in major source markets during the first quarter of the year, the pace of growth is projected to be more moderate than earlier forecasts suggested,” said Aliyyah Shakeer, CTO’s Director of Research. CTO now anticipates that overnight visitor arrivals will increase by 2% to 5%, reaching approximately 35 million. The outlook for the cruise sector remains positive, with cruise arrivals expected to grow by 5% to 7%, approaching 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, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization.
“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.
