🌴 Cayman Islands tourism surpasses expectations

The Cayman Islands have seen a significant increase in tourist arrivals, surpassing the Ministry's predictions by over 13% by the end of September. The Department of Tourism revealed that the destination is nearing the record-breaking arrival figures of 2019, with guest numbers demonstrating steady growth throughout the year. Between January and September, there was a 105% increase in total visitors compared to 2022, with over 323,000 overnight guests and more than 930,000 cruise passengers. 🛳️

Despite the ongoing pandemic, the Cayman Islands have exceeded their visitation goal of 70% of 2019's record numbers in the first three quarters of the year. Kenneth Bryan, Minister of Tourism and Transport, expressed confidence that the islands are on track for a full tourism recovery by the end of the year. The average length of stay for visitors has returned to pre-pandemic levels of six nights, and the average daily rate of hotel rooms has increased by more than 30% compared to 2022. The total room stock has also grown, with 7,624 rooms now available. 🏨

The United States remains the largest source of visitors, with 270,187 arrivals, an 83.6% increase from 2022 and on par with 2019's figures. Despite fewer inbound flights than in 2019, there has been an increase in airlift from the United States compared to 2022. Visitors from Canada were also up 87% on 2022, indicating a strong recovery for this market. The Department of Tourism attributes the recovery to strategic investments and initiatives, including conferences and culinary promotional events in target markets from Canada to the UK. ✈️