The Keys to Caribbean Tourism

By Veronica de Santiago

During the Caribbean Travel Forum held in Antigua and Barbuda, and as a prelude to the 43rd edition of the CHTA Marketplace, Olivier Ponti, Director of Intelligence and Marketing at ForwardKeys, presented the report “Caribbean Travel Trends 2025.”

This document, the result of a collaboration between ForwardKeys and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), offers a strategic vision of growth opportunities for Caribbean tourism in the immediate future. Key highlights include:

1. Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico Lead Caribbean Tourism

Based on flight search data for July–September 2025, the Dominican Republic leads in tourist interest with 31.9% of total searches, followed by Puerto Rico, which shows an impressive +44% growth compared to the previous year. This surge is partly attributed to Bad Bunny’s artist residency during the summer, reinforcing the power of concert tourism as a driver of demand. Growth is also evident in destinations like Sint Maarten, Curaçao, and Saint Lucia.

2. Latin America: Growing Source Markets

Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil stand out for their increase in travel intent toward the Caribbean. Mexico has doubled its searches, while Colombia and Brazil show growth of over 30%. Canada (+22%) and Spain (+21%) are also emerging as key markets. Latin America represents a strategic market for Caribbean tourism boards, which must develop targeted campaigns based on the specific demands of each country.

3. Missed Opportunity Due to Lack of Connectivity from Canada

Although summer is traditionally low season in the Caribbean, Canadian searches have increased by 22%, with Montreal showing a remarkable +62% growth. However, the availability of direct flights has not kept pace with demand, posing a logistical challenge and a clear opportunity to improve air connectivity.

4. Visitor Segmentation Strategy

Destinations like Curaçao and the Cayman Islands showcase the success of demographic-targeted strategies. Curaçao attracts young professionals and families, supported by programs like “@Home in Curaçao” for digital nomads. Meanwhile, the Cayman Islands have solidified their position as a luxury destination for travelers over 45, thanks to the “Global Citizen Concierge” program and premium offerings.

ForwardKeys offers a valuable set of tools for Caribbean destinations to boost competitiveness through targeted campaigns, improved connectivity, and traveler segmentation.

5. Air Connectivity: Routes to Optimize

ForwardKeys identifies two types of routes:

• Underutilized, with strong flight offerings but low demand (e.g., Boston, Tampa)

• Underserved, with high demand but limited connectivity (e.g., New York, Montreal, Mexico City)

This data is essential for destinations looking to work with airlines on new routes or increased flight frequency.

6. Travel Planning Habits

American tourists tend to plan with short notice, with 41% booking less than 30 days in advance, while British travelers plan with over 90 days of anticipation. Canada and Mexico show a more balanced distribution, enabling marketing strategies to be tailored to each market’s behavior.

7. Bad Bunny: A Tourism Event Success Story

The report also highlights the impact of events in driving travel demand. Examples like Bad Bunny’s residency in Puerto Rico, which led to a 7-fold increase in flight searches in just one week, or the Cricket World Cup matches in Barbados, show how large cultural and sports events can dramatically boost flight demand—sometimes by up to seven times.

Connectivity, segmentation, events, and data analysis are emerging as the core pillars to attract new visitors, extend the average length of stay, and ensure sustainable growth looking ahead to 2025.