The Cayman Islands recorded more than 1.19 million visitor arrivals between January and September 2026, reflecting a 6.4% increase compared to the same period in 2025, according to data from the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism published by Streamline. Stayover tourists accounted for much of this increase, totaling 376,495 arrivals, which is an 11.3% rise from 338,385 in the prior year.
Growth from Canadian and US Markets
The United States remains the largest stayover source market with 308,748 visitors during the first nine months of 2026, representing 82% of the total stayover segment and increasing 9.6% over 281,816 recorded in 2025. Canada emerged as the fastest-growing
major market, with arrivals up 41% from 22,124 to 31,203. Canadian visitors now make up 8.3% of all stayover tourists, up from 6.5% in 2025, contributing to nearly one-quarter of overall stayover growth. The United Kingdom holds third place with 10,480 visitors, a 4.7% increase from 10,008 in 2025.
Cruise Passenger Numbers and Share
Cruise tourism grew at a slower pace with 817,299 passengers arriving through September 2026, a 4.3% increase compared to 783,671 in 2025. Cruise visitors comprised approximately 68.5% of the total visitor count during this period. This steady growth reflects a rebound of regional Caribbean cruise itineraries throughout 2026.
Notable Monthly Visitor Figures
The Cayman Islands
saw the strongest January stayover on record with 47,047 visitors in January 2026. September recorded 15,303 stayover arrivals, marking an 18.4% year-over-year increase and the highest September figure since 2019. This growth extended an 11-month streak of consecutive year-over-year stayover increases through September.
Marketing, Partnerships, and Diversification Efforts
Targeted marketing campaigns run by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism in secondary Canadian cities and expanded partnerships with regional carriers are credited with fueling Canadian visitor growth. These efforts aim to lessen reliance on the US market by diversifying visitor origins, supporting a steadier year-round arrival pattern that benefits the hospitality sector and smaller businesses dependent
on consistent tourism.
Strategic Priorities and Seasonal Challenges
The Cayman Islands government prioritizes attracting high-yield stayover tourists who generate greater local economic benefits over cruise passengers, who tend to spend less locally. The Caribbean’s seasonality, including hurricane season in September, continues to affect absolute visitor numbers during quieter months. Sustaining growth will require ongoing investment in airlift and marketing amid regional competition.
Approach to Breaking 2019 Stayover Record
The destination is close to returning to its 2019 stayover record of 502,739 visitors. With 376,495 stayover arrivals recorded through September 2026, the figure trails the same period in 2019 by only 2.5%. To surpass 2019’s annual record, Cayman needs to attract at
least 126,245 additional stayover tourists from October to December 2026, a target considered achievable based on historical winter season strength.
