Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (27 March 2026) – The Cayman Islands welcomed 49,075 stayover visitors in February 2026, representing a 10.1% increase year over year and marking the second-strongest February on record, just 3% below the all-time high set in 2020.
Cruise passenger arrivals also increased by 6.5% compared to February 2025, registering 159,917 passengers.
Total visitation for the month – including both stayover visitors and cruise passengers – reached 208,992 visitors, reflecting a 7.3% increase year over year.
Canada led February’s performance and continued its record setting momentum with double-digit percentage increases in stayover visitation for the fourth consecutive month.
Overall, this strong February performance builds on January’s record-breaking results with YTD stayover arrivals reaching 95,112 visitors, an 11.8% increase over the same period in 2025.
The Hon. Gary Rutty, Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism and Trade Development, noted that the sustained growth highlights the strength of the Cayman Islands’ tourism strategy:
“Delivering one of the strongest February performances in our history, following a record-breaking January, demonstrates the continued success of our strategic focus on airlift expansion, targeted marketing and strong industry partnerships. The Cayman Islands continues to perform at a high level across multiple markets, reinforcing our position as a leading premium destination in the Caribbean.”
Canada Continues to Boost Overall Visitation
The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism’s (CIDOT) strategic investment in advertising and public relations in Canada continued to pay dividends as the market maintained its exceptional momentum by recording 6,102 visitors in February – a 47.0% increase year over year and the highest monthly visitation total ever recorded from the market.
Canada’s performance reflects sustained demand and significant airlift expansion, including increased service from Toronto and new service from Ottawa.
United States Remains the Largest Source Market
The United States remained the destination’s largest source market, generating 38,673 stayover visitors in February, an increase of 5.4% year over year and the second-highest February total on record.
Growth within the U.S. was led by the Midwest (up 10.0%) and South (up 7.2%), supported by expanded airlift from Chicago and Miami.
UK & Ireland, Europe and Emerging Markets Contribute to Growth
Visitation from the UK & Ireland reached 1,783 visitors in February, an increase of 12.8% year over year. This number represented the strongest February performance ever for the region and was achieved with no increase in airlift capacity. This signals that the increase in visitation was driven by underlying demand, brand resonance and market conversion – the result of CIDOT’s strategic marketing, public relations and trade engagement in the region.
Continental Europe also delivered strong gains, up 24.0% year over year showing increased demand despite the lack of non-stop service to the region. This underscores the success of the UK team, supported by public relations and trade engagement via agencies W Communications and Kleber Group who were appointed in 2025.
Latin America recorded a 7.0% increase adding incremental growth and reflecting the success of CIDOT’s business development strategy to diversify the visitor base through investment in emerging markets.
Expanded Airlift Continues to Drive Demand
Total inbound airlift capacity from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada increased by 20.9% in February 2026, supported by expanded service from key gateways including Chicago and Miami, as well as new February services from Fort Lauderdale, New York, Detroit, Toronto and Ottawa.
These increases continue to strengthen connectivity to the destination and support sustained visitation growth across high-performing markets.
Hotel performance in February also remained strong with global hotel intelligence firm, STR Inc. recording an 8.7% increase in the destination’s average daily rate (ADR) over the same period in 2025.
Strong Outlook for Q1 2026
With continued airlift expansion and strong demand across key markets, the Cayman Islands is well-positioned to sustain its growth trajectory throughout the first quarter of 2026.
Director of Tourism, Rosa Harris, emphasised the importance of strategic planning and investment in emerging markets to ensure that Cayman’s tourism industry remains resilient in the face of global economic and geopolitical instability, “Cayman’s visitor chooses our destination due to its accessibility, safety and premium positioning. February’s performance reflects the strength of our global demand and the effectiveness of our strategic investment in developing emerging markets. We look forward to continuing to deliver meaningful results for the destination.”
The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) supports the overall strategic objectives of the destination by providing reliable statistical data, useful information and analysis for future planning, decision making and policy formulation. CIDOT provides online statistical data in an easy-to-use format for persons requiring tourism related figures.
To view visitation statistics please visit: www.ourcayman.ky
Cruise passenger arrivals also increased by 6.5% compared to February 2025, registering 159,917 passengers.
Total visitation for the month – including both stayover visitors and cruise passengers – reached 208,992 visitors, reflecting a 7.3% increase year over year.
Canada led February’s performance and continued its record setting momentum with double-digit percentage increases in stayover visitation for the fourth consecutive month.
Overall, this strong February performance builds on January’s record-breaking results with YTD stayover arrivals reaching 95,112 visitors, an 11.8% increase over the same period in 2025.
The Hon. Gary Rutty, Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism and Trade Development, noted that the sustained growth highlights the strength of the Cayman Islands’ tourism strategy:
“Delivering one of the strongest February performances in our history, following a record-breaking January, demonstrates the continued success of our strategic focus on airlift expansion, targeted marketing and strong industry partnerships. The Cayman Islands continues to perform at a high level across multiple markets, reinforcing our position as a leading premium destination in the Caribbean.”
Canada Continues to Boost Overall Visitation
The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism’s (CIDOT) strategic investment in advertising and public relations in Canada continued to pay dividends as the market maintained its exceptional momentum by recording 6,102 visitors in February – a 47.0% increase year over year and the highest monthly visitation total ever recorded from the market.
Canada’s performance reflects sustained demand and significant airlift expansion, including increased service from Toronto and new service from Ottawa.
United States Remains the Largest Source Market
The United States remained the destination’s largest source market, generating 38,673 stayover visitors in February, an increase of 5.4% year over year and the second-highest February total on record.
Growth within the U.S. was led by the Midwest (up 10.0%) and South (up 7.2%), supported by expanded airlift from Chicago and Miami.
UK & Ireland, Europe and Emerging Markets Contribute to Growth
Visitation from the UK & Ireland reached 1,783 visitors in February, an increase of 12.8% year over year. This number represented the strongest February performance ever for the region and was achieved with no increase in airlift capacity. This signals that the increase in visitation was driven by underlying demand, brand resonance and market conversion – the result of CIDOT’s strategic marketing, public relations and trade engagement in the region.
Continental Europe also delivered strong gains, up 24.0% year over year showing increased demand despite the lack of non-stop service to the region. This underscores the success of the UK team, supported by public relations and trade engagement via agencies W Communications and Kleber Group who were appointed in 2025.
Latin America recorded a 7.0% increase adding incremental growth and reflecting the success of CIDOT’s business development strategy to diversify the visitor base through investment in emerging markets.
Expanded Airlift Continues to Drive Demand
Total inbound airlift capacity from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada increased by 20.9% in February 2026, supported by expanded service from key gateways including Chicago and Miami, as well as new February services from Fort Lauderdale, New York, Detroit, Toronto and Ottawa.
These increases continue to strengthen connectivity to the destination and support sustained visitation growth across high-performing markets.
Hotel performance in February also remained strong with global hotel intelligence firm, STR Inc. recording an 8.7% increase in the destination’s average daily rate (ADR) over the same period in 2025.
Strong Outlook for Q1 2026
With continued airlift expansion and strong demand across key markets, the Cayman Islands is well-positioned to sustain its growth trajectory throughout the first quarter of 2026.
Director of Tourism, Rosa Harris, emphasised the importance of strategic planning and investment in emerging markets to ensure that Cayman’s tourism industry remains resilient in the face of global economic and geopolitical instability, “Cayman’s visitor chooses our destination due to its accessibility, safety and premium positioning. February’s performance reflects the strength of our global demand and the effectiveness of our strategic investment in developing emerging markets. We look forward to continuing to deliver meaningful results for the destination.”
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The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) supports the overall strategic objectives of the destination by providing reliable statistical data, useful information and analysis for future planning, decision making and policy formulation. CIDOT provides online statistical data in an easy-to-use format for persons requiring tourism related figures.
To view visitation statistics please visit: www.ourcayman.ky