Cayman Islands closed 2025 with record-breaking December visitation and continued positive momentum in stayover arrivals supported by strong airlift capacity, robust performance in key markets, and notable gains from Canada and the United States, reports the islands’ department of tourism.
Canada, in particular, delivered a standout performance in 2025 recording 7.1% growth year on year, and became the first market to surpass 2019 levels, underscoring its resilience and strong travel intent by the Canadian visitor.
The destination set Canadian monthly visitation records in March, July, September, November, and December, supported by a 9% increase in airline seat capacity. The introduction of Porter Airlines service from Toronto and Ottawa in December along with expanded capacity from Air Canada and WestJet, contributed significantly to this growth.
Overall, the historic result in December saw 54,830 stayover visitors – the highest December in recorded history and a 5.3% increase year over year. The destination also saw 148,489 cruise passenger arrivals for the month; a 10.4% increase compared to December 2024.
Total visitation for the month (stayover + cruise) reached 203,319, an increase of 9.0% over December 2024.
Looking ahead, airlift for January-April 2026 is projected to grow by 18.1%, with 358,512 inbound seats – the strongest first‑quarter outlook in recent years. This increase is expected to support continued visitation growth during the peak winter and spring 2026 travel periods.
Accommodation
In 2025, the destination’s room inventory increased by 119 bedrooms to 8,475 with the increase driven by condos and villas entering the destination’s short-term rental pool.
Looking forward to 2026, the destination is set to increase its accommodations stock by approximately 500 bedrooms with the opening of One|GT and Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Resort & Spa.
Hotel performance remained strong throughout 2025 with global hotel intelligence firm, STR Inc. recording a 2.8% increase in the destinations average daily rate (ADR) and a 3.2% increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) compared to 2024.
Commenting on 2025’s performance, director of tourism Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism emphasized the impact of international marketing, industry engagement and strategic airlift development on visitation.
“2025 was an exceptional year for the Cayman Islands, not only because of our record-breaking December results, but due to the consistent demand we saw from our key markets throughout the year. Our investment in global marketing, travel trade engagement, and public relations – across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, the UK, and Europe – continues to yield strong returns.
“Canada’s record-breaking year, in particular, reinforces the importance of innovative PR initiatives, targeted outreach, and close collaboration with our airline partners. We are especially proud of the confidence shown by our carriers, who expanded service and introduced new routes that created meaningful opportunities for growth. With robust airlift projected for early 2026, we are well positioned to continue this positive momentum.”
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