Cayman Islands reports ‘record-breaking’ arrival numbers for December

The Cayman Islands ended 2025 with a “record-breaking” December, which saw the destination welcome 54,830 stayover visitors.

The figure marks a 5.3% increase in visitation year on year and the most-successful December in the country’s recorded history.

The destination also saw 148,489 cruise arrivals for the month, bringing the total number of visitors to 203,319, marking a 9% increase compared to December 2024.

December was also strong for visitors from the UK and Ireland, of which there were 2,017 – the second-highest monthly total the Cayman Islands has ever recorded from this market. Overall, performance from the UK and Ireland was “steady”, with a total of 15,402 visitors recorded in a 3.1% year-on-year increase.

To support this growth, the destination increased its room inventory by 119 last year, bringing the total number to 8,475.

The opening of Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Resort & Spa and One GT, both expected to debut in spring, will increase the destination’s accommodation stock by a further 500 rooms.

Airlift has also improved and is projected to grow by a further 18.1% between January and April this year.

The Cayman Islands’ deputy premier and minister for tourism Hon. Gary Rutty said: “It is truly encouraging to see such strong growth in our stayover arrivals in 2025. The Cayman Islands continues to stand out from our competitors as a premier destination, and these results reflect the dedication of our tourism industry and our airline partners who continue to invest in our islands.

“As we look ahead to 2026, we will continue to focus on strengthening our partnerships, enhancing our tourism product and expanding airlift so that the Cayman Islands remains top of mind for travellers around the world.”

Rosa Harris, director of tourism, added: “2025 was an exceptional year for the Cayman Islands, not only because of our record-breaking December results, but due to the consistent demand we saw from our key markets throughout the year.”

Credit: Shutterstock/Riegan Tucio