From the crystal-clear waters of the Turks and Caicos to the vibrant streets of San Juan, the Caribbean isn't just bouncing back from the pandemic—it's soaring past all expectations with record-breaking tourism numbers.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the Dominican Republic welcomed 10.1 million international tourists, a 10% increase from 2022
- Jamaica recorded 4.28 million visitor arrivals in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 5%
- Puerto Rico saw 5.9 million visitors in 2023, including 2.1 million cruise passengers, up 8% YoY
- Tourism contributed $45.7 billion to Caribbean GDP in 2023, representing 13% of total GDP
- Direct tourism employment in Caribbean reached 2.5 million jobs in 2023, 11% of total employment
- Dominican Republic tourism generated $9.75 billion in revenue in 2023
- Caribbean had 1.2 million hotel rooms in 2023, with 65% occupancy average
- Dominican Republic boasts 120,000 hotel rooms, 75% occupancy in 2023
- Jamaica has 35,000 hotel rooms, achieving 72% occupancy in 2023
- Caribbean welcomed 29.5 million cruise passengers in 2023, up 7% from 2022
- Nassau, Bahamas, hosted 5.5 million cruise passengers in 2023
- Cozumel, Mexico (Caribbean port), saw 4.2 million cruise visitors 2023
- Post-pandemic, 68% of millennials plan Caribbean cruises in next 5 years per 2023 survey
- Sustainable tourism certifications in Caribbean hotels rose 25% to 1,200 properties in 2023
- Overtourism concerns led to 40% of islands implementing visitor caps in 2023
Caribbean tourism is surging, exceeding pre-pandemic levels across many islands.
Accommodation and Hotels
- Caribbean had 1.2 million hotel rooms in 2023, with 65% occupancy average
- Dominican Republic boasts 120,000 hotel rooms, 75% occupancy in 2023
- Jamaica has 35,000 hotel rooms, achieving 72% occupancy in 2023
- Puerto Rico hotel inventory 25,000 rooms, 70% occupied in 2023
- Bahamas offers 20,000 rooms, 68% occupancy rate 2023
- Antigua has 8,000 hotel rooms, 74% occupancy in peak 2023
- Barbados 12,000 rooms, average 70% occupancy 2023
- Aruba 10,500 hotel rooms, 82% occupancy record in 2023
- Cayman Islands 9,000 rooms, 75% occupied in 2023
- St. Lucia 6,500 rooms, 71% occupancy 2023
- Grenada 4,000 hotel rooms, 68% rate in 2023
- Turks & Caicos 7,500 rooms, 80% occupancy 2023
- USVI 8,200 rooms, 72% occupied 2023
- Curaçao 5,000 rooms, 69% occupancy 2023
- Belize 4,500 hotel rooms, 65% average 2023
- Punta Cana mega-resorts total 50,000 rooms, 78% occupancy 2023
- Nassau Atlantis resort had 3,800 rooms at 85% occupancy 2023
- Montego Bay Hilton Rose Hall 500 rooms, 80% occupied 2023
- San Juan Condado hotels 5,000 rooms, 73% rate 2023
- Bridgetown Hilton 250 rooms, 75% occupancy 2023
- Eagle Beach Aruba resorts 4,000 rooms, 84% 2023
- Seven Mile Beach Cayman 5,500 rooms, 78% occupancy
- Rodney Bay St. Lucia 3,000 rooms, 72% 2023
- Grand Anse Grenada 2,500 rooms, 70% occupancy 2023
- Grace Bay TCI luxury resorts 4,000 rooms, 82% 2023
Accommodation and Hotels Interpretation
While the Caribbean collectively plays a gracious, moderately busy host, it's clear the guests have discerning favorites, with Aruba's Eagle Beach resorts and Punta Cana's mega-hotel sprawl running a particularly tight and enviable ship.
Cruise Tourism
- Caribbean welcomed 29.5 million cruise passengers in 2023, up 7% from 2022
- Nassau, Bahamas, hosted 5.5 million cruise passengers in 2023
- Cozumel, Mexico (Caribbean port), saw 4.2 million cruise visitors 2023
- Grand Cayman tender port handled 1.8 million passengers in 2023
- St. Thomas, USVI, welcomed 2.1 million cruise ship visitors 2023
- San Juan, Puerto Rico, cruise port received 1.5 million passengers 2023
- Bridgetown, Barbados, hosted 400,000 cruise arrivals in 2023
- Oranjestad, Aruba, saw 1.3 million cruise passengers 2023
- Castries, St. Lucia, recorded 750,000 cruise visitors 2023
- St. John's, Antigua, welcomed 650,000 cruise passengers 2023
- Willemstad, Curaçao, handled 800,000 cruise visitors 2023
- Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, saw 1.7 million cruise arrivals 2023
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica, hosted 1.4 million cruise passengers 2023
- Labadee, Haiti (private port), 900,000 Royal Caribbean passengers 2023
- Roseau, Dominica, welcomed 250,000 cruise visitors 2023
- Basseterre, St. Kitts, 500,000 cruise passengers 2023
- Kingstown, St. Vincent, hosted 200,000 cruise arrivals 2023
- Road Town, BVI, saw 300,000 cruise visitors despite recovery
- Charlotte Amalie cruise terminal 1.2 million passengers 2023
- Falmouth, Jamaica, 1.1 million cruise visitors 2023
- Georgetown, Grand Cayman, 1.9 million total cruise calls 2023
- Belize City cruise port 800,000 passengers 2023
- Roatan, Honduras (Caribbean), 1.2 million cruise visitors 2023
- Montego Bay cruise pier 600,000 arrivals 2023
- Punta Cana new cruise terminal 500,000 passengers first year 2023
- 85% of Caribbean cruise itineraries include at least one private destination in 2023
- Average cruise passenger spend in Caribbean ports $120 per person in 2023
- Caribbean luxury cruise segment grew 15% in 2023 to 2 million passengers
Cruise Tourism Interpretation
The Caribbean isn't just a bucket-list destination; it's a well-oiled floating-cities economy, generating billions from sun-seekers who, let's be honest, are just looking for a decent wifi signal and a strong drink between their buffet meals.
Economic Impact
- Tourism contributed $45.7 billion to Caribbean GDP in 2023, representing 13% of total GDP
- Direct tourism employment in Caribbean reached 2.5 million jobs in 2023, 11% of total employment
- Dominican Republic tourism generated $9.75 billion in revenue in 2023
- Jamaica's tourism sector earned $4.2 billion USD in 2023, up 12% YoY
- Puerto Rico tourism expenditure by visitors totaled $5.1 billion in 2023
- Bahamas tourism contributed $4.5 billion to economy in 2023, 35% of GDP
- Antigua tourism revenue hit $1.2 billion in 2023, supporting 40% of jobs
- Barbados visitor spending reached $1.1 billion in 2023
- Aruba's tourism GDP contribution was 65% or $2.8 billion in 2023
- Cayman Islands tourism generated $1.8 billion in 2023, 70% of GDP
- St. Lucia tourism earnings were $1.05 billion in 2023, up 25%
- Grenada tourism contributed $450 million to GDP in 2023, 25% share
- Turks & Caicos tourism revenue $2.1 billion in 2023, 60% GDP
- USVI visitor spending $2.3 billion in 2023
- Curaçao tourism generated $1.2 billion in 2023, 40% GDP
- Belize tourism earnings $500 million in 2023, 12% GDP
- Guyana tourism revenue $200 million in 2023, growing 40%
- Caribbean cruise tourism generated $5.5 billion in direct spending in 2023
- Punta Cana resorts earned $6 billion from tourists in 2023
- Nassau tourism spending by visitors $3.2 billion in 2023
- Montego Bay, Jamaica, generated $1.8 billion in tourism revenue 2023
- San Juan hotels and attractions earned $3 billion in 2023
- Bridgetown visitor expenditure $800 million in 2023
- Palm Beach, Aruba, contributed $1.5 billion to economy in 2023
- Seven Mile Beach, Cayman, generated $1.2 billion tourism spend 2023
- Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, tourism revenue $700 million in 2023
- Grand Anse Beach, Grenada, $300 million impact in 2023
- Grace Bay, TCI, $1.5 billion visitor spend 2023
Economic Impact Interpretation
While Caribbean sunbathers blissfully sip their cocktails, the billions they spend are quite literally keeping the regional economy afloat, funding nearly one in ten jobs and forming the staggering, sun-bleached backbone of entire nations.
Trends and Sustainability
- Post-pandemic, 68% of millennials plan Caribbean cruises in next 5 years per 2023 survey
- Sustainable tourism certifications in Caribbean hotels rose 25% to 1,200 properties in 2023
- Overtourism concerns led to 40% of islands implementing visitor caps in 2023
- Eco-tourism bookings in Caribbean increased 35% YoY to 5 million in 2023
- Digital nomad visas issued in Caribbean countries totaled 50,000 in 2023, boosting long-stay tourism
- Wellness tourism market in Caribbean valued at $3.2 billion in 2023, up 20%
- Airlift to Caribbean grew 18% in 2023 with 1,200 weekly flights from US
- Coral reef protection projects funded $150 million by tourism levies in 2023
- Female-led tourism businesses in Caribbean reached 45% in 2023
- Adventure tourism (hiking, diving) accounted for 22% of visits in 2023, up from 15%
- Carbon-neutral resorts in Caribbean numbered 150 in 2023, doubling since 2020
- Social media influence drove 60% of bookings for Caribbean in 2023 Gen Z survey
- Sea turtle nesting tourism generated $50 million sustainably in 2023
- 75% of Caribbean tourists seek authentic cultural experiences in 2023 polls
- Renewable energy in resorts covered 30% of power needs in 2023, up 10%
- Medical tourism in Caribbean grew to 200,000 patients in 2023, $1 billion market
- Yachting charters increased 12% to 15,000 vessels in 2023 season
- Community-based tourism initiatives supported 10,000 jobs in 2023
- Plastic waste reduction in hotels achieved 50% less single-use by 2023
- Birdwatching tourism attracted 1 million visitors, $300 million revenue 2023
Trends and Sustainability Interpretation
The Caribbean is expertly navigating a post-pandemic wave of selfie-snapping millennials, digital nomads, and wellness seekers by channeling their enthusiasm into a new, more sustainable model where visitor caps protect paradise, tourism levies fund coral reefs, and authentic experiences now mean spotting a sea turtle instead of just spotting a cruise ship buffet.
Visitor Arrivals
- In 2023, the Dominican Republic welcomed 10.1 million international tourists, a 10% increase from 2022
- Jamaica recorded 4.28 million visitor arrivals in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 5%
- Puerto Rico saw 5.9 million visitors in 2023, including 2.1 million cruise passengers, up 8% YoY
- The Bahamas attracted 4.8 million tourists in 2023, with 90% from the US market
- Antigua and Barbuda reported 1.1 million stay-over arrivals in 2023, a 12% growth
- Barbados welcomed 750,000 visitors in 2023, recovering 95% of 2019 figures
- Aruba saw 1.28 million visitors in 2023, with a 15% increase in European tourists
- Cayman Islands recorded 400,000 stay-over visitors in 2023, up 20% from 2022
- St. Lucia attracted 380,000 tourists in 2023, a 28% rise YoY
- Grenada welcomed 170,000 visitors in 2023, exceeding 2019 by 8%
- Turks and Caicos Islands saw 550,000 visitors in 2023, with 70% from USA
- US Virgin Islands reported 1.2 million visitors in 2023, up 15%
- Curaçao attracted 650,000 tourists in 2023, a 14% increase
- Martinique recorded 500,000 visitors in 2023 from France and North America
- Sint Maarten welcomed 500,000 cruise and stay-over visitors in 2023
- Belize saw 550,000 tourists in 2023, focused on eco-tourism, up 22%
- Guyana recorded 250,000 visitors in 2023, a 50% surge due to oil boom
- Haiti had 250,000 tourists in 2023 despite challenges
- Dominican Republic's Punta Cana alone had 6.5 million visitors in 2023
- Nassau, Bahamas, welcomed 3.2 million cruise and air visitors in 2023
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica, saw 1.5 million tourists in 2023
- San Juan, Puerto Rico, recorded 2.8 million arrivals in 2023
- Bridgetown, Barbados, attracted 450,000 visitors in 2023
- Oranjestad, Aruba, had 1.1 million visitors in 2023
- George Town, Cayman Islands, saw 2.5 million cruise passengers in 2023
- Castries, St. Lucia, welcomed 250,000 tourists in 2023
- St. George's, Grenada, recorded 120,000 arrivals in 2023
- Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, had 450,000 visitors in 2023
- Charlotte Amalie, USVI, saw 800,000 visitors in 2023
- Willemstad, Curaçao, attracted 550,000 tourists in 2023
Visitor Arrivals Interpretation
The Caribbean’s collective tourism comeback is not just a gentle tide but a full-blown tsunami of sunseekers, proving that even after a global pause, the only thing more relentless than the ocean is the human desire for a decent beach.
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