Cayman Islands Arrivals Rise 6.4% as Hotel Revenue Outpaces Growth

The Cayman Islands recorded 1,193,794 combined stayover and cruise arrivals between January and September 2026, up 6.4% year on year, according to figures released on October 30. Stayover arrivals reached 376,495, an increase of 11.3%, while cruise passengers accounted for the remaining 817,299 — roughly 68.5% of the combined total.

The revenue signal is stronger than the arrivals signal. Hotel room revenue rose 19% across January–September, nearly double the growth in stayover visitors. Average daily rates increased 5.6% and revenue per available room gained 16.3%, according to the tourism department's release citing STR data. That follows much smaller 2025 increases of 2.8% in average daily rates and 3.2% in RevPAR.

The takeaway for sellers of travel: Cayman's hotel sector is extracting more revenue per visitor, not just more visitors.

Who is arriving, and from where?

The United States supplied 308,748 stayover arrivals in the first nine months, about 82% of the total. Canada contributed 31,203, up 41%, bringing the two markets to roughly 90% combined.

September delivered 15,303 stayover visitors, up 18.4%, extending the run of year-on-year growth to 11 consecutive months.

Demographic evidence explains the positioning. The 2024 National Tourism Plan described more than 40% of surveyed overnight visitors as coming from households earning above US$200,000 annually — historical survey data, not a 2026 measurement. The ministry's 2024 annual report put the average visitor age at 42.2, with about 45% aged 36–60. Reporting on the ministry's 2025 annual report put average stays at six nights and repeat visitation at 47.9%.

What does the cruise segment actually spend?

An FCCA-commissioned BREA study, published in October 2024, estimated cruise passengers spent an average of US$115.68 per person ashore during the May 2023–April 2024 cruise year, based on roughly 1,630 survey responses.

• Estimated total passenger spending: US$118.7 million
• Average crew spending ashore: US$76.10 per person
• Estimated total crew spending: US$9.8 million

Shore excursions, clothing, and watches and jewelry accounted for 76% of passenger spending. These are survey estimates for one cruise year, not 2026 figures.

A cruise call and a six-night holiday create very different demands and economic opportunities — a distinction arrivals counts obscure.

Is Cayman more expensive than its neighbors?

Budget Your Trip's indicative daily costs per person place Cayman at US$364, below Turks and Caicos (US$379), Curaçao (US$375) and Aruba (US$369), and well above the Dominican Republic (US$166) and Jamaica (US$142). Its Cayman-wide listing implies about US$2,550 for seven days. These are mixed traveler-budget estimates, not official expenditure surveys.

Visitor reviews show the friction. A January 2026 Tripadvisor reviewer gave Seven Mile Beach five stars while criticizing the costs of chairs, food and drinks. Platform ratings stand at approximately 4.8 for Stingray City and 4.7 for Seven Mile Beach. A 2026 Reddit thread praised snorkeling and restaurants while warning about expensive taxis and dining out.

Loving a place does not mean believing every charge represents good value.

Does the Hoogervorst warning apply?

Former Dutch finance minister Hans Hoogervorst, in an RTL interview reported by NL Times, urged Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire to pursue higher-spending visitors, reconsider hotel tax advantages and manage tourism in the public interest. Cayman is a British Overseas Territory; there is no basis to assume identical tax incentives apply.

But the environmental and infrastructure arguments transfer. Cayman's own planning document identifies congestion associated with cruise arrivals and the risk that crowds undermine the premium experience promised to overnight guests.

Cayman already attracts travelers willing to spend; the open question, with no current comprehensive spending survey published, is how much of that income stays with Caymanian businesses and workers.