The Cayman Islands’ tourism sector continued its record-breaking start to 2026, with the destination recording its strongest April ever for stayover arrivals.

According to figures released by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, the destination welcomed 47,884 stayover visitors in April, surpassing the previous April record set in 2019 by 3.9 per cent and marking a 12 per cent increase compared to April 2025.

The latest figures extend a trend that has seen the Cayman Islands repeatedly break tourism records this year. April’s performance follows a strong first quarter and comes just one month after the destination recorded the highest monthly arrival total in its history in March.

Tourism officials said the strong performance places the sector in a solid position heading into the traditionally slower summer season.

Growth in April was driven largely by visitors from North America, particularly the United States and Canada.

The United States, Cayman’s largest source market, recorded its best April on record with 38,968 stayover visitors, up 9.8 per cent compared to the same month last year. Growth was strongest from the western United States and the Midwest, with Denver and Chicago among the leading markets.

Canada also continued to emerge as a key growth market for the destination. The Cayman Islands welcomed 4,277 Canadian visitors during the month, representing a 69 per cent increase over April 2025 and marking the sixth consecutive month of double-digit growth from the market.

When cruise passengers are included, total visitor arrivals reached 173,596 in April, an increase of 37 per cent year-over-year.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Trade Development Gary Rutty said the results highlight tourism’s continued importance to the Cayman Islands economy.

“Tourism continues to play a vital role in Cayman’s economy, supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and providing opportunities for Caymanians,” Rutty said.

“After a bumper winter season and now the strongest April on record, we are entering the summer from a position of strength.”

Rutty added that increased airlift, growing interest from new markets and the continued strength of the tourism product provided confidence that the positive momentum could continue throughout the year.

The destination’s strong visitor numbers were supported by expanded airlift from key markets. Capacity from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom increased by more than 15 per cent compared with April 2025, driven by additional services from cities including Chicago, Toronto and Ottawa.

Tourism Director Rosa Harris credited collaboration between the Department of Tourism, airline partners, travel agents and local tourism stakeholders for helping drive the record-breaking results.

She noted that Canada, in particular, continues to show significant growth potential, supported by expanded airlift that is expected to reach record levels later this year.

The strong tourism performance also translated into gains for the accommodation sector. Data from hotel analytics firm STR showed hotel occupancy reached 77.8 per cent in April, while revenue per available room increased by more than 20 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Tourism officials said they will now focus on maintaining momentum through the summer months while continuing efforts to diversify source markets and ensure tourism growth benefits businesses and communities across the islands.