According to a recent analysis by analytics firm Forward Keys, two Caribbean destinations are experiencing explosive growth this summer even in a market that is becoming more and more competitive.
A look at forward tickets for international arrivals shows that Kingston and Nassau have improved significantly over last year.
The two fastest-growing destinations in the region this summer are Kingston, with an increase of about 30% compared to the same period in 2022, and Nassau, with an increase of about 18%.
Due to the robust demand for Jamaica and The Bahamas as well as the general upward trend for the two Caribbean travel powerhouses, both cities are humming. The Bahamas and Jamaica have in fact been two of the post-pandemic era’s major success stories.
Given what ForwardKeys describes as “increased competition” for the Caribbean from rival travel areas like Europe, South America and Southeast Asia, the explosive growth of the two destinations in 2023 is all the more remarkable.
After many years of not being on the radar of most tourists, Kingston has experienced a relative resurgence as a tourist destination.
With its two main resorts, Atlantis Paradise Island, a variety of boutique hotels and a vibrant culinary trend, Nassau is a Caribbean destination unlike any other, and the numbers bear this out.
So what about the rest of the area?
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands has experienced the largest overall growth of any location, with an increase of about 35% in international arrivals this summer compared to the same time last year.
Montego Bay, Jamaica, has experienced the second highest growth compared to summer 2019 with a growth rate of nearly 30 percent, followed by the island of Aruba with a growth rate of nearly 25 percent. Aruba, which has seen summer growth of nearly 25 percent since 2019, follows Providenciales and Montego Bay.
“Despite increased competition, some destinations in the Caribbean are sustaining their growth and increasing the number of tourist arrivals as compared to levels seen before the pandemic,” ForwardKeys said in its report.