The Cayman Islands received more than 1.19 million visitors from January to September 2026, marking a 6.4% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Stayover arrivals rose 11.3% to 376,495, while cruise passenger arrivals reached 817,299, up 4.3% from 783,671 last year.
Visitor Markets: United States, Canada, and United Kingdom
The United States remained the largest source of stayover visitors with 308,748 arrivals, a 9.6% increase from 281,816 in 2025, representing 82% of the total stayover market. Canadian stayover arrivals surged by 41%, rising from 22,124 to 31,203 and accounting for 8.3% of stayover tourists, up from 6.5% in 2025. Canada contributed nearly 25% of overall stayover
growth. The United Kingdom was the third-largest market with 10,480 visitors, a 4.7% increase from 10,008.
Monthly Stayover Performance Highlights
September 2026 recorded 15,303 stayover visitors, an 18.4% year-over-year increase and the highest September total since 2019. This extended an 11-month streak of consecutive year-on-year stayover growth through September. January 2026 produced a record-breaking 47,047 stayover visitors, the highest number for that month in Cayman Islands history.
Tourism Strategy and Canadian Market Diversification
The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism implemented targeted campaigns in secondary Canadian cities and forged expanded partnerships with regional carriers to strengthen Canadian market connectivity. These efforts aim to diversify beyond United States reliance and stabilize year-round
arrivals. The government prioritizes attracting high-yield air visitors over mass cruise passengers, whose economic contributions remain mostly confined to port areas.
Seasonal Trends and Economic Impact
Despite strong year-to-date stayover numbers, September typically remains the slowest month for air arrivals due to the Caribbean’s seasonal travel lull and hurricane period. Stayover tourists spend substantially more per capita on local hotels, dining, and retail compared to cruise passengers, benefiting the broader economy and hospitality workforce. The islands are nearing the 2019 stayover record of 502,739 annual air visitors, with a 2.5% deficit compared to the same nine-month period in 2019. Achieving a new annual benchmark in
2026 requires attracting at least 126,245 additional stayover visitors from October to December.
