Barbados’ tourism industry has reached a new milestone in 2025, recording 503,000 stayover visitors between January and August — a 5.43% increase compared to the same period last year. For the first time in the island’s tourism history, the United States has overtaken the United Kingdom as Barbados’ leading source market.
Speaking on the final day of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2025 at the Hilton Barbados Resort, Andrea Franklin, Chief Executive Officer of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), confirmed the historic shift.
“Arrivals from the United States stand at 179,753 visitors, making the US now our number one source market,” Franklin announced. “This is particularly significant because, for decades, the United Kingdom has always held that position.”
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The United Kingdom remains a strong second, while intra-Caribbean travel has also shown notable growth, becoming the island’s third-largest market with 70,984 regional visitors.
Franklin attributed the strong US performance to BTMI’s aggressive airlift expansion strategy, which increased flight capacity to the island during the peak 2025 winter season.
“We really doubled down on our airlift strategy,” she explained. “In winter 2025 alone, we added over 60,000 additional seats from the US market. That increased accessibility made a major difference, allowing more Americans to discover — or rediscover — Barbados.”
The steady rise in arrivals underscores Barbados’ growing reputation as one of the Caribbean’s most desirable destinations, combining accessibility, safety, and diverse experiences.
Meanwhile, the cruise tourism sector continues to perform strongly, welcoming 599,826 cruise passengers between January and July — a 24% increase year-on-year, or 117,776 additional visitors.
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Franklin also revealed that Barbados Port Inc. is actively upgrading the Bridgetown Cruise Terminal to further enhance visitor experience.
“Modernisation and expansion works are ongoing, focusing on improving passenger flow, embarkation and disembarkation, and port aesthetics,” she said. “The Port is also advancing greener operations through digitalisation, shore power readiness, and smart port technology to boost efficiency and sustainability.”
Barbados’ accommodation sector is also set for major transformation, with several new hotels scheduled to open between 2026 and 2027. Among them are Blue Monkey Hotel and Beach Club, Hotel Indigo, Royalton Vessence, Pendry Barbados, Hyatt Ziva, and Beaches Barbados under the Sandals brand.
With continued investment, airlift growth, and a strong brand presence in its key markets, Barbados is poised for sustained tourism expansion — and the United States’ rise to the top signals a powerful new chapter for the island’s visitor economy.
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