FORWARDKEYS’

DESTINATION INSIGHTS

Caribbean
Travel Trends
2025
May 2025

CARIBBEAN TRAVEL TRENDS 2025 1

 CARIBBEAN
TRAVEL TRENDS
2025

The data included in this document is accurate

according to ForwardKeys’ market research
database as of April 2025.

© ForwardKeys, 2025. All Rights Reserved.

Foreword About this report
As global tourism competition intensifies in 2025, Caribbean Methodology
destinations, heavily reliant on this vital sector, face a pivotal
year. The region’s ability to remain competitive and thrive in Data used in this report
the year ahead will significantly depend on implementing
The insights on Travel Intent and Air Connectivity in this report
smart strategies, particularly in enhancing air connectivity and
deploying highly targeted marketing campaigns.
About ForwardKeys were compiled from ForwardKeys’ data Smarts, whilst the Social
Demographic Profiles and Traveller Spend data are sourced
In an era of abundant choice for travellers, understanding market from Amadeus Navigator360™. Together, this data provides
ForwardKeys is trusted by organisations worldwide to deliver
shifts, anticipating demand, and identifying the right visitor segmented global air travel monitoring for historical and forward-
actionable insights through superior travel data and product
segments are no longer optional – they are fundamental to looking tourist arrivals.
innovation. As a global leader in travel intelligence, we deliver
achieving sustainable growth and maintaining a competitive
real-time and predictive analysis of 4,750 airports, 900 airlines
edge. Harnessing data provides the clarity needed to make
and 4.5 billion annual passengers, helping destinations and
informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and tailor
businesses better understand and anticipate traveller behaviour.
offerings to meet evolving traveller expectations.
Our proprietary algorithms, powered by advanced AI and machine
To support this, ForwardKeys and the Caribbean Hotel and
learning, process millions of data points daily, offering unmatched
Tourism Association (CHTA) present this third collaborative
granularity to inform strategic decisions in marketing, operations,
report. Packed with forward-looking insights derived from air
and growth. Destinations and businesses can gain hyper-targeted
travel and hospitality data, it focuses on tangible business
information about geographic areas, enabling more effective
opportunities and best practices, empowering stakeholders with
marketing, store placements, and strategic planning.
crucial intelligence for the coming year ahead.
By leveraging detailed travel behaviour data across nationalities,
Our shared focus on actionable intelligence aligns with CHTA’s
routes, regions, and seasonality, ForwardKeys helps businesses
mission – to enable Caribbean stakeholders to share knowledge
focus their strategies, giving them a competitive edge and
and grow stronger together. Using these insights, we can refine
maximising growth opportunities.
strategies and work towards a prosperous and resilient 2025
for Caribbean tourism.

About the Caribbean Hotel and

Olivier Ponti Tourism Association (CHTA)
Director - Intelligence & Marketing
ForwardKeys
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is the
Caribbean’s leading association representing the interests of
national hotel and tourism associations. For more than 60
years, CHTA has been the backbone of the Caribbean hospitality
industry. Working with some 1,000 hotel and allied members, and
32 National Hotel Associations, CHTA is shaping the Caribbean’s
future and helping members to grow their businesses. Whether
helping to navigate critical issues in sales and marketing,
sustainability, legislative issues, emerging technologies, climate
Sanovnik Destang change, data and intelligence or, looking for avenues and ideas
President, to better market and manage businesses, CHTA is helping
The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association members on issues which matter most.
 Travel intent
Table of contents

01 Travel intent 7
Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico top of mind in
travel searches 8
Latin America leads annual growth in Caribbean
travel interest 9

02 Seasonality 11
Canadian summer demand presents low-season
opportunity 12

03 Traveller profiles 15
Curaçao and Cayman Islands segment visitors via
targeted offerings 16
Contrasts in traveller spending reflect market
positioning 18

01
04 Connectivity 19
Aligning supply and demand could unlock growth
potential 20

05 Lead times 22
Market-specific search horizons inform promotional
strategy 23

06 Event impact 24
Cultural and traveller spending events boost
Caribbean travel intent 25

CARIBBEAN TRAVEL TRENDS 2025 6 ©FORWARDKEYS 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 7

 Travel intent Travel intent

Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico

Other destinations are also significantly outperforming the
regional average growth rate. Sint Maarten stands out with
a +22% increase in search volume (capturing a 2.8% share),

top of mind in travel searches reflecting considerable growing interest among potential
travellers. Curaçao (4.9% share) and Saint Lucia (2.2% share)
also display positive trends relative to the regional benchmark,
both registering a +2% year-over-year uptick in searches.
This granular analysis is important in demonstrating that while
Flight search data for July-September 2025 reveals a stable
regional trends remain stable, the performance of individual
picture for travel intent to the Caribbean, currently tracking
destinations can vary significantly, and underlines the importance
search volumes seen in the same period in 2024. However, at Overseas flight searches made for travel between
of access to forward-looking data to enable DMOs to adapt their
a more granular level, we see certain destinations significantly Jul-Sep 2025
marketing and outreach campaigns, boost their visibility and
outperforming the year-over-year average.
capitalise on broader interest in the region.
The Dominican Republic leads the region in terms of overall
search volume, with a 31.9% share of all flight searches for
summer travel to the Caribbean this year. Year-over-year

Latin America leads annual growth in

growth in search intent of +7% indicates increasing appeal,
likely bolstered by its diverse tourism offerings and extensive
accommodation options.
Puerto Rico, while attracting a lower overall share of searches
(16.6%), is showing impressive growth in traveller interest over
Caribbean travel interest
last year, with a +44% surge compared to the equivalent period
in 2024. This predicts exceptionally strong demand and standout
performance for the upcoming season – likely supported by *considering destinations that represent more than 0.5% share Looking at the origin markets with the greatest proportion
popular interest in the “Bad Bunny” artist residency taking place of flight searches for travel to the Caribbean between July
July–September as discussed in greater detail later in this report. and September 2025 reveals the growing importance of Latin Overseas flight searches made for travel between
American travellers to tourism in the region. Jul-Sep 2025

Mexico stands out as the top-performing origin market in terms

of year-over-year growth, with flight searches for Caribbean
destinations more than doubling, followed closely by Colombia
and Brazil, each showing increases in travel intent of around a
third. Canada, a traditionally strong source market, also displays
healthy growth, with searches up +22% year-over-year, accounting
for a significant 7.1% share of total searches. Spain too emerges
as a key long-haul market, with a +21% increase in search volume
resulting in a 4.2% share of traveller interest overall.
The dynamic growth emanating from Latin America presents a
significant opportunity for Caribbean destinations. For DMOs,
this suggests that market-specific campaigns targeting major *considering origin markets that represent more than 1.25% share
hubs in these markets with connectivity into the Caribbean will be
invaluable in driving visitor numbers and ensuring a successful
summer season in 2025.

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 Know exactly who’s
visiting, when and for
how long
Seasonality
DMOs have evolved — and destination marketing is now
only a part of the equation. Balancing the needs of tourists
versus locals requires a detailed understanding of the
economic, social and environmental impact of inbound
travel.

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granular level — past, present and future.

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 Seasonality Seasonality

Canadian summer demand presents Flight Searches made for travel between July and September 2025 from Canada to the Caribbean; var vs 2024

low-season opportunity
Canadian air connectivity to the Caribbean currently follows The connectivity gap is further highlighted by strong search
a pronounced seasonal pattern, with available seats typically growth from Canada towards destinations currently lacking direct
decreasing during the low season spanning from May through flights during this period, such as the US Virgin Islands (+193%)
October. However, this period coincides with the northern and British Virgin Islands (+124%), as well as destinations like
hemisphere’s summer vacation period, presenting a strategic Puerto Rico (+121%) and Saint Kitts & Nevis (+92%), which
window for Caribbean destinations to attract more Canadian receive direct Canadian flights in peak season but not during
visitors. the summer, show significant demand.

Encouragingly, travel intent from Canada shows robust growth Currently, the lack of direct summer flights forces the majority
during this window. Flight searches from Canada for travel in of Canadian travellers heading to the Caribbean in Q3 to transit
Q3 2025 (July-September) are up 22% year-over-year, driven by via the U.S., with Atlanta serving as the primary hub. This
major urban centres like Montreal, which shows a 62% surge in reliance on connections adds complexity and potential cost, and
searches. Airlines appear to be recognising this opportunity, with reveals a clear opportunity for airlines and DMOs to collaborate
seat capacity from Canada to the Caribbean in summer 2025 on adding or extending direct flight schedules further into the
forecast to be +16% higher than in 2024, although this increase summer low season.
still lags behind the growth in travel intent (+22%), suggesting No direct connections during the low-season, however airlines do operate at other times in the year
potential unmet demand.
Source: ForwardKeys Flight Searches and Air Supply

Forecasted Seat Capacity for overseas flights arriving to the Caribbean in 2024 and 2025

DISCOVER GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW SEASONS

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Source: ForwardKeys Air Supply

12 CARIBBEAN TRAVEL TRENDS 2025 ©FORWARDKEYS 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 13

 Traveller
Destination Gateway

profiles
Strategic and tactical decision
making made easy for destinations
Destination Gateway is ForwardKeys’ latest innovation. Built specifically for DMOs and tourist boards, this powerful yet
intuitive solution provides destination clients with travel data at each step of the consumer journey in near-real time.

Destination Gateway comprises:

Performance
Understand the performance of your destination regarding
specific travel audiences – including historical trends,
current patterns and outlook.

Demand
Chart the intention to travel by using flight searches. Monitor
the impact of your campaigns or other events impacting
travel and understand per market which travel periods are
in high demand.

Connectivity
Power up your decision-making and negotiations with airlines
by studying air capacity and supply to your destination, with
a load factors feature displaying the proportion of seats
taken up on individual routes to a destination.

Market planning

03
Understand your source markets’ travel behaviour and
profiles to optimally prepare your marketing plans and
campaigns. Focus your analysis on your key markets or
your key events.

Growth Management
This module uses prescriptive analytics to highlight your
growth potential per source market during your low season.

Behaviour
Provides key insights into visitors’ behaviour at a destination
using geolocation data, including visitor dispersion, activity
popularity, dwell time and visitor residence.

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SOLUTION FOR DMOS
SCAN TO LEARN MORE

14 CARIBBEAN TRAVEL TRENDS 2025 ©FORWARDKEYS 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 15

 Traveller profiles Traveller profiles

Curaçao and Cayman Islands segment 46-65 age range (35.4%) reflects the islands’ reputation for luxury,
exclusivity, and a high standard of living.

visitors via targeted offerings

The “Global Citizen Concierge Program”, which facilitates
long-term stays for high-net-worth individuals and remote Caribbean destinations are
professionals, plus the islands’ world-class amenities, fine
dining, pristine beaches, and robust financial services sector,
increasingly successful at
all increase its appeal to this wealthier demographic. attracting distinct traveller
Armed with the right data, destinations elsewhere in the Caribbean demographics by tailoring
Tourist Arrivals to Caribbean destinations in May 2025
can leverage similar demographic insights and analysis of their offerings and programs to
traveller motivations to effectively segment audiences, tailor
marketing efforts and incentives, to strategically attract their specific lifestyle preferences
desired mix of visitors. and needs to cultivate unique
market niches

Source: Air Visitor Data Curaçao Cayman Islands

Caribbean destinations are increasingly successful at attracting

distinct traveller demographics by tailoring their offerings and
programs to specific lifestyle preferences and needs to cultivate
unique market niches. Focusing on two destinations in particular
– Curaçao and the Cayman Islands – highlights the impact of
specialised government initiatives as a tool to target specific
types of travellers.
Curaçao has effectively positioned itself as a magnet for
younger professionals and families. Data reveals a significant
concentration of visitors in the 26-35 age group (23.7%), drawn
by the island’s relatively affordable cost of living, vibrant local
culture, and appealing work-life balance.
It appears that the “@Home in Curaçao” digital nomad program
has been a driver of this trend, simplifying residency for remote
workers, but Curaçao’s family-friendly appeal is also evident, with
children (8.1% share) and the 36-45 age bracket (22.6% share)
making up a substantial portion of arrivals.
By contrast, the Cayman Islands cater primarily to older, more
affluent visitors. A strong influx of visitors in the higher-earning

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 Connectivity
Traveller profiles

Contrasts in traveller spending reflect

market positioning

Travel Spending to Caribbean destinations in Apr 2025

04
Source: Air Bookings & Hotel Bookings Data Flight Hotel

Analysis of traveller spending patterns in April 2025 in Curaçao In contrast, in the Cayman Islands average spend on flights
and the Cayman Islands provides valuable insights into the two and accommodation reached US$1253, with accommodation
destinations’ distinct market positioning and appeal. representing over 50% of the total, compared to around a third
in Curaçao. Both components saw significant year-over-year
Curaçao presents a more accessible price point for travellers, with
increases, with flight costs up +12% and hotel costs up +9.8%.
average combined spend on flights and hotels at approximately
US$795. However, while flight costs saw a modest increase of While flight costs to the two destinations are comparable, the
1.2% year-over-year, average hotel costs rose significantly by considerably higher average hotel price (US$701 vs. US$250)
12.5%. clearly differentiates the Cayman Islands, reflecting its appeal
to more affluent travellers seeking premium experiences. This
This substantial increase in hotel rates, despite remaining
focus is reflected in the strong overall growth in global travel
considerably lower than the Cayman Islands, suggests strong
spending within the destination, up +10.8% year-over-year.
demand and growing popularity, allowing accommodation
providers to raise prices, a positive indicator for Curaçao’s It’s a reminder to destinations that differing price structures,
tourism health. This is supported by overall global travel spending particularly in accommodation, can effectively support targeted
in Curaçao, showing a 5.1% increase year-over-year. market strategies focused on attracting a specific mix of visitor
demographics.

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 Connectivity Connectivity

Aligning supply and demand could

unlock growth potential
Optimising air connectivity is fundamental to fuelling tourism ‘Underused routes’ are characterised by having a higher
growth, requiring a strategic alignment between available seat proportion of available airline seats compared to their share
capacity (supply) and traveller search interest (demand). By of flight searches. This suggests that while ample connectivity
analysing the relationship between the share of available seats exists, traveller intent hasn’t yet grown to match the available
and the share of flight searches for travel to the Caribbean in supply. Key examples of markets falling into this category
Q3 2025 (July-September), destinations can identify distinct include Boston, Philadelphia, and Tampa. Major US hubs like
opportunities to increase tourist arrivals. Our analysis reveals two
key categories of interest — ‘underused’ and ‘underserved’ routes.

Overseas seat capacity and searches made for travel between July and September to the Caribbean

Underused Underserved

Share of available seats

Source: ForwardKeys Flight Searches & Air Supply

Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Dallas

also show strong connectivity to the region.

For Caribbean destinations, these routes represent immediate

opportunities. Targeted marketing campaigns aimed at travellers
in these specific origin cities can stimulate demand and help
fill existing capacity, potentially yielding relatively quick results
in visitor numbers.

Conversely, ‘underserved routes’ exhibit a lower proportion of

available seats relative to their share of flight searches. This
indicates that traveller demand from these origins outstrips
the current air supply. Prominent examples include high-volume
markets like New York, Paris, and Montreal, west-coast US hubs
Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco and Latin American
capitals such as Mexico City and Buenos Aires.

These markets signal a clear opportunity for longer-term growth

through route development. Engaging with airlines to establish
new direct routes or increase capacity on existing ones from
these underserved origins is crucial for capturing unmet demand,
unlocking additional tourism potential.

By differentiating between these route types, destinations can

tailor their connectivity strategies, implementing short-term
marketing pushes for underused routes while pursuing longer-
term route development for underserved markets to ensure
% Share of searches
sustainable growth.

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Lead times
Lead Times

Market-specific search horizons inform

promotional strategy
Understanding when potential visitors begin searching for flights
is crucial for optimising marketing strategies and ensuring
Overseas flight searches made for travel to the
messages reach audiences at the optimal point in their decision-
Caribbean between January and March 2025
making process, and analysis of overseas flight searches for
travel to the Caribbean between January and March 2025 reveals
distinct trends across key origin markets.
Lead times – the period between a flight search and the intended
travel date – vary significantly. The US, the Caribbean’s largest
source market, displays a notably shorter search horizon
compared to other key markets. A significant 41% of US-based
searches for Caribbean travel occurred within 30 days of the
intended departure date (short lead time), with another 39%
falling into the medium lead time category (30-89 days). Only
20% of searches from the US were made 90 days or more in
advance (long lead time). This indicates a strong tendency
towards shorter-term planning and potentially more spontaneous
travel decisions among US travellers.
In contrast, the United Kingdom market demonstrates the longest
lead times. Over a third (37%) of UK searches were conducted
more than 90 days ahead of the travel period, likely driven by
Short Leadtimes (0-29 days) Long Leadtimes (90+ days)
the need to plan and budget for more expensive long-haul,
Medium Leadtimes (30-89 days) transatlantic flights. Canada and Mexico show more balanced
distributions, with roughly a third of searches falling into each
Source: ForwardKeys Flight Searches
category.

05
These differences in search behaviour have direct implications
for DMOs. Campaigns targeting US travellers, for instance,
should maintain visibility closer to the desired travel periods,
potentially emphasising short-term inspiration, availability,
and last-minute offers to capture the significant short-lead-
time segment. Conversely, reaching UK travellers requires a
much earlier start, ideally launching campaigns 3 to 6 months
before peak seasons, focusing on value propositions, unique
experiences, and well-planned itineraries that appeal to those
investing significant time and resources in planning. For top-
performing markets Canada and Mexico which demonstrate an
even spread of lead times, a balanced approach, with consistent
messaging over time is key to unlocking their significant growth
potential.
By matching destination offerings – luxury, adventure, or culture
– with the typical planning horizons and profiles of different
source markets, DMOs can significantly increase the relevance
and impact of their promotional activities.

CARIBBEAN TRAVEL TRENDS 2025 22 ©FORWARDKEYS 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 23

Event
Event Impact

Cultural and traveller spending events

boost Caribbean travel intent

impact Overseas Flight Searches made for travel to Puerto Rico between 8 July and 14 September 2025

13 Jan: Searches soar as Bad Bunny announces ‘No

Me Quiero Ir de Aquí’ residency in Puerto Rico

06
Source: ForwardKeys Flight Searches

Events – spanning culture, music, sports, and entertainment

– serve as powerful catalysts for tourism, creating urgency,
The rise of “concert tourism,” exemplified
generating significant social buzz, and providing travellers with
by recent global tours sees fans build entire
compelling reasons to book a trip. This translates directly into
itineraries around performances
measurable spikes in travel intent, as demonstrated by recent
examples in the Caribbean.
The rise of “concert tourism,” exemplified by recent global tours
such as Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” sees fans build entire itineraries In the week following the January 13th announcement, overseas
around performances, and this trend has been replicated within flight searches for travel to Puerto Rico during the residency
the Caribbean in 2025. When global superstar Bad Bunny period surged by a factor of seven compared to the previous
announced an exclusive 2025 residency in Puerto Rico (with week. Specific origin markets saw even more pronounced
performances running mid-July to mid-September), the impact increases, particularly those with strong cultural connections
on travel searches was immediate. or proximity, including searches from Los Angeles (25.6x higher

CARIBBEAN TRAVEL TRENDS 2025 24 ©FORWARDKEYS 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 25

 Event Impact

than the previous week), Mexico City (19.9x) and San Diego
(16.5x). Notably, search interest remained elevated even after
the initial peak, indicating sustained interest.
Sporting events yield similar benefits. Barbados, for example,
successfully hosted nine matches of the ICC Men’s T20 World
Cup in 2024, including the final. This high-profile event attracted
cricket enthusiasts from key overseas markets like the UK,
India, and Australia, significantly boosting visitor arrivals and
showcasing the island on a global stage. Film and television
are also increasingly influential on travel decisions, with the
term “set-jetting” being coined to describe the effect of popular
series inspiring viewers to visit the locations featured on screen.
It’s a reminder that hosting and promoting major events has
significant strategic as well as cultural value – not only in
attracting visitors directly attending the event but in enhancing
a destination’s overall visibility and appeal, driving substantial
increases in travel searches and attracting significant tourist
spending to local economies.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Overseas Flight Searches made for travel to Puerto Rico between 8 July and 14
September 2025

Source: ForwardKeys Flight Searches

26 CARIBBEAN TRAVEL TRENDS 2025

PREDICTING
TRAVELLERS’
IMPACT

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