Second-Best Year Ever for Canadians Visiting the Cayman Islands
by Marsha Mowers
Grand Cayman’s Seven-Mile Beach. Photo: Shutterstock.com
Sun destinations can always count on Canadians to make winter escapes, and the Cayman Islands is no exception. The destination ended 2024 on a high note with just under 480,000 visitors, and Canadian arrivals set records in six months of the year.
Canadian arrivals were up 5.3% over 2023, representing the second-best performance ever. Six months set new records in 2024, including June, July, August, October, November and December.
“We are thrilled by the remarkable performance of Canadian visitation to the Cayman Islands in 2024,” said Raymond Mathias, Canada Country Manager for the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism.
“With six months of record arrivals from Canada, it’s clear that Canadians continue to be captivated by the unique experiences and warm hospitality our islands offer.
Looking ahead to 2025, we’re excited to build on this momentum with an expanded flight schedule from WestJet and Air Canada, making it easier than ever for travellers to trade the cold for the sun-soaked beauty and sophisticated culture of the Cayman Islands.”
Overall, March 2024 saw the second highest number of arrivals ever for the destination with 57,040 stayover visitors. December was also a standout month with 52,046 stayover visitors – the second highest number of visitors for December in recorded history and an increase of 4.3% year over year.
The growth was boosted from Canada by 8% increased air seat capacity over 2023. Air Canada and WestJet together added 36 flights for a total of 237 into the destination.
The Cayman Islands also hosted the CTO State of the Industry Conference for the first time and engaged a hefty PR campaign which included partnerships with trade media outlets and a week-long “live on location” promotion with TV morning show Breakfast Television.
