Canadians Play Key Role in Cayman Islands’ Record-Breaking Tourism Performance

Cayman Islands continued its record-breaking streak in April by welcoming 47,884 stayover visitors, making this the best April in the Island’s history. 

Stayover arrivals were 3.9% higher than the previous record set in April 2019 and up a dramatic 12% year over year, compared to the corresponding period in 2025.

April’s stayover results were driven by growth from North America, with Canada recording six consecutive months of double-digit growth and the U.S. recording its best April ever in stayover visitation. 

Total visitation for April, including both stayover visitors and cruise passengers, reached 173,596 visitors, reflecting an overall increase of 37% year over year.

“Tourism continues to play a vital role in Cayman’s economy, supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and providing opportunities for Caymanians,” said Hon. Gary Rutty, Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Trade Development. 

“After a bumper winter season and now the strongest April on record, we are entering the summer from a position of strength. Increased airlift, growing interest from new markets, and the continued quality of our tourism product give us confidence that this positive momentum can continue throughout 2026.” 

Canada Remains a Key Area for Growth  

Canada continues to be one of the fastest growing source markets for the Cayman Islands, with 4,277 stayover visitors in April 2026, representing an increase of 69% year-over-year. These results build on Canada’s strong contribution to both the record winter season and the destination’s prior best month ever, in March 2026.

With strong projected nonstop airlift through five weekly summer flights from Toronto, the destination anticipates continued growth from Canada. This capacity builds in fall with up to nine weekly flights, surpassing previous airlift records from Canada. Further expansion in December will include the return of Porter Airlines, increasing connectivity from both Toronto and Ottawa with up to 15 flights per week – the highest level of service ever from Canada to the Cayman Islands.
 
“As a result of our strategic partnerships with airlines, we are now witness to a secondary market’s standout performance,” said Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism. 

“April 2026 represents the strongest airlift program our destination has ever recorded from Canada and demonstrates the investment in relationships and marketing activities that has affected the positive trajectory from the Canadian market. The increase in flights underscores the success of our business development and market diversification efforts, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Canadian airline partners to anchor future growth.”