The Cayman Islands recorded 1,193,794 visitors during the first nine months of 2026, a 6.4% increase over the 1,122,056 arrivals during the same period in 2025. This rise included an additional 71,738 visitors year-on-year, with stayover arrivals accounting for most of the growth.
Growth Driven by Canadian Market Expansion
Canadian stayover arrivals surged by 41%, rising from 22,124 in January-September 2025 to 31,203 in 2026. Canadians comprised 8.3% of all stayover visitors in 2026, up from 6.5% the previous year, contributing nearly 25% of the total stayover growth. The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism attributed this rise to focused marketing campaigns in secondary Canadian cities and
expanded partnerships with regional airlines enhancing air connectivity.
Stayover vs Cruise Tourism and Historical Comparisons
Stayover arrivals reached 376,495 in the first three quarters of 2026, marking an 11.3% increase from 338,385 in 2025. Cruise passenger numbers grew by a smaller margin of 4.3%, increasing to 817,299 from 783,671 in 2025. Cruise passengers accounted for roughly 68.5% of total visitors. September 2026 saw 15,303 stayover arrivals, an 18.4% year-over-year rise and the strongest September since 2019. January 2026 recorded 47,047 stayover visitors, the highest January figure in the islands’ history. Despite growth, 2026 stayover arrivals remain 2.5% below the 386,290 recorded in the same period in 2019.
Visitor Contributions from the US and UK Markets
The United States continued as the dominant source market with 308,748 stayover arrivals from January to September 2026, an increase of 9.6% compared to 281,816 visitors in 2025. Alongside Canada, US and Canadian markets comprised approximately 90% of all stayover visitors. The United Kingdom was the third-largest source market registering 10,480 visitors, a 4.7% rise over 10,008 arrivals in 2025.
Tourism Strategy and Seasonal Trends
The Cayman Islands government strategy prioritizes high-yield stayover visitors arriving by air, who generate more economic value compared to cruise passengers. Canadian market expansion and steady US growth support this approach. September 2026’s strong 18.4% increase in stayover arrivals defied
the traditional seasonal lull during the Caribbean hurricane season. To exceed the 2019 annual record of 502,739 air visitors, the islands must attract 126,245 additional stayover arrivals in the final quarter of 2026.
Continued tourism growth is expected to rely on investment in airlift capacity and destination marketing to sustain competitiveness. The more stable year-round visitor flow supports local hospitality businesses and workers dependent on consistent tourism revenue.
