Bahamas Cruise Record Lifts Caribbean Tourism as Jamaica Fights a Tax Hike
CARIBBEAN · TOURISM
Key Facts
—What happened: The Bahamas confirmed a record 10.6 million sea arrivals for 2025, and 2026 is running ahead.
—The engine: Cruises drive 86.5 percent of Bahamian arrivals, nearly double the 2019 level.
—The catch: Jamaica’s hoteliers warn a proposed tax hike from 10 to 15 percent could stall their hurricane recovery.
—Still closed: Some 5,648 Jamaican hotel rooms, 28 percent of the stock hit by Melissa, remain out.
—The pivot: Jamaica is pushing trade with Trinidad and Tobago, where its market reach grew 170 percent since 2019.
—What comes next: Nassau’s airport traffic and Kingston’s tax talks will show whether the Caribbean tourism boom holds.
The Bahamas set a sea-arrival record of 10.6 million for 2025, and 2026 is already outpacing it. Jamaica’s hotels, still scarred by Hurricane Melissa, are fighting a tax hike and courting Trinidad and Tobago.
A record eight months in the making
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism confirmed the figure in January. Sea arrivals reached 10.6 million in 2025, up 14 percent on 2024.
Cruise passengers made up 86.5 percent of all arrivals. Total visitors hit a record 12.5 million, nearly double the 2019 level.
Tourism Minister I. Chester Cooper announced the numbers on 28 January. Travel trade outlets recirculated the five-year data again this week.
The record itself is not fresh news. What is new is that 2026 is beating it.
This year is running ahead of the record
The Bahamas counted 6.1 million total visitors from January to May. That is 14.2 percent above the same months of 2025.
Sea arrivals reached 5.2 million in that period, up 15.9 percent. The Rio Times reported those figures on 10 August.
Nassau’s airport tells the same story. It handled 6.6 percent more departing passengers in July, according to Tourism Analytics.
In short, Caribbean tourism’s biggest cruise market is growing beyond its own record. The winter season will test how far it can go.
Jamaica’s hotels fight a tax plan
The contrast with Jamaica is sharp. Its hotel sector is still recovering from COVID-19, Hurricane Beryl and Hurricane Melissa.
The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association met Finance Minister Fayval Williams in late July. Its president, O’Brian Heron, then warned that a tax hike could stall the recovery.
Kingston is considering raising the General Consumption Tax on the sector from 10 to 15 percent. Heron laid out the sector’s case in early August.
Occupancy tells why the industry is nervous. Small hotels run at about 27 percent, and large ones at 44 percent.
Some 5,648 rooms remain out of service. That is 28 percent of the stock damaged by Melissa, and roughly 14 hotels are still closed.
Room rates were contracted years in advance. Hoteliers say that leaves them no room to absorb a higher tax.
There is good news. Royalton Negril has reopened, a sign that Caribbean tourism investment is returning to Jamaica’s north coast.
Kingston looks south to Port of Spain
Jamaica is also working on a different kind of growth. Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner, Deborah Thomas-Felix, wants more trade missions.
She spoke at the Jamaica Observer’s Press Club on Friday. Her message was simple: let us do more business.
Jamaica’s reach into the Trinidadian market grew 170 percent between 2019 and 2025. Yet the trade balance still runs heavily against Kingston.
Jamaica exported about US$36.6 million of merchandise to Trinidad and Tobago in 2024. Imports from the twin-island republic came to roughly US$249.7 million.
Services are Jamaica’s stronger suit. The island exported about US$5.6 billion in services globally, against imports of US$3.46 billion.
That is a services surplus near US$1.8 billion. Jamaica wants its Caribbean tourism partners to buy more of it.
The two countries signed a Trade Complaints Mechanism agreement in August 2022. Trinidad’s manufacturers visited Jamaica in May 2025, and Jamaican exporters went to Port of Spain in September 2024.
What to watch from here
First, watch the winter cruise season, the backbone of Caribbean tourism. Nassau’s record only matters if the ships keep coming.
Second, watch Kingston’s tax decision. A five-point rise could slow the very recovery the government wants.
Third, watch the next trade mission. The Trinidad and Tobago channel is small today, but it is the fastest-growing one Jamaica has.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Bahamas set a new tourism record?
The Bahamas set its record for 2025, with 10.6 million sea arrivals and 12.5 million total visitors. The fresh news is that 2026 is tracking ahead, with 6.1 million visitors from January to May, up 14.2 percent.
How important are cruises to the Bahamas?
Cruise passengers made up 86.5 percent of all arrivals in 2025. Total visitor numbers nearly doubled against 2019.
Why are Jamaica’s hotels worried about taxes?
The government is considering raising the General Consumption Tax on the sector from 10 to 15 percent. Hoteliers say that could stall the recovery from Hurricane Melissa, which still has 5,648 rooms out of service.
What did Trinidad and Tobago’s envoy say in Jamaica?
High Commissioner Deborah Thomas-Felix called for more trade missions at the Jamaica Observer’s Press Club. Jamaica’s reach into the Trinidadian market grew 170 percent between 2019 and 2025.
Is Caribbean tourism growing in 2026?
In the Bahamas, yes: arrivals are up 14.2 percent so far, and Nassau airport departures rose 6.6 percent in July. Jamaica is recovering, but its large hotels run at only 44 percent occupancy.
Connected Coverage
The mid-year Bahamian data are in Bahamas hits record tourism pace with 6.1 million visitors.
The Jamaican reopening is in Royalton Negril reopens after Hurricane Melissa.
Sources: Bahamas Ministry of Tourism; Tourism Analytics; The Gleaner; Jamaica Observer; St Kitts Nevis Observer; The Rio Times archive.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
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