NASSAU, BAHAMAS: Total visitor arrivals to The Bahamas climbed 13.9 percent to five million during the first four months of 2026, underscoring continued momentum in the country’s tourism sector as the economy maintained healthy growth, according to the Central Bank’s Monthly Economic and Financial Developments report for May.
The regulator noted that the increase was driven by robust cruise passenger growth and a recovery in air arrivals, while tourism earnings also strengthened amid improved stopover performance.
The Central Bank said the domestic economy continued to expand at a healthy pace in May, with key economic indicators moving closer to their medium-term potential. Tourism remained the primary driver of growth, supported by stronger performance in the higher-value stopover market and sustained gains in cruise arrivals.
The report noted that while banking sector liquidity narrowed during the month as domestic credit expanded faster than deposits, the country’s external reserves increased, reflecting net foreign currency inflows from both the public and private sectors.
Official data from the Ministry of Tourism showed total visitor arrivals reached 1.1 million in April, a 3.3 percent increase over the same month last year. Sea arrivals rose 3.6 percent to 900,000 visitors, while air arrivals increased 1.8 percent to 200,000.
Grand Bahama recorded the strongest growth among the major destinations, with total arrivals more than tripling to 128,467 from 36,346 a year earlier. Cruise passengers surged to 122,077 from 29,998, boosted by new onshore destination facilities, while air arrivals edged up 0.7 percent to 6,390.
The Family Islands also posted gains, with total arrivals increasing 2.7 percent to approximately 500,000 visitors. Cruise arrivals rose 3 percent, offsetting a slight 1.4 percent decline in air traffic.
New Providence was the only major destination to experience a decline in visitor numbers. Total arrivals fell 13.2 percent to about 500,000 as sea arrivals dropped 18.3 percent. Air arrivals, however, increased 2.8 percent during the month.
For the year through April, cruise traffic continued to account for most of the tourism growth. Sea arrivals rose 15.7 percent to 4.3 million visitors, while air arrivals recovered by 4.3 percent to 700,000.
Outbound travel also remained strong. According to Nassau Airport Development Company, total departures, excluding domestic traffic, increased 7.1 percent in May compared with the same month last year. International departures climbed 18.4 percent to 22,985 passengers, while departures to the United States rose 5.2 percent.
For the first five months of the year, total outbound passenger traffic increased 5.2 percent to 800,000. International departures surged 39.5 percent, while U.S. departures declined marginally by 0.8 percent.
The short-term vacation rental market also continued to perform well. AirDNA data showed room nights sold increased 6.6 percent to 48,730 in May, with occupancy rates improving across both hotel-comparable and entire-place listings.
Average daily rates for entire-place rentals climbed 9.5 percent to $752.89, although hotel-comparable listings recorded a 1.1 percent decline to $167.72.
On a year-to-date basis, room nights sold rose 9.9 percent to 306,687. Average daily rates also strengthened, increasing 7.3 percent for entire-place listings and 4.5 percent for hotel-comparable accommodations.
The Central Bank said the latest data indicate tourism continues to underpin economic activity, although accommodation capacity remains constrained, limiting the sector’s ability to fully capitalize on strong visitor demand.
