Bermuda leads region in Canadian tourism growth
Canadian visitor numbers to Bermuda rose sharply last year to the highest growth levels for that market, providing a rare bright spot for the island’s tourism sector even as overall arrivals remained subdued, regional data shows.
According to the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s latest monthly statistics, Canadian stopover arrivals to Bermuda increased 27.7 per cent year-on-year for the period January to November 2025, the strongest growth rate among reporting Caribbean destinations for that market.
The growth in Canadian arrivals comes amid improved air connectivity between Bermuda and key Canadian cities, particularly through BermudAir’s expansion into Montreal, Toronto and Halifax. Industry observers have also pointed to a broader shift in Canadian travel patterns, with fewer Canadians travelling to the United States and increased interest in Caribbean and European destinations.
The increase helped to offset weakness in Bermuda’s larger source markets, particularly the United States. Total stopover arrivals to the island slipped 1.6 per cent over the same period, leaving Bermuda 26.3 per cent below its pre-pandemic visitor levels in 2019, one of the widest gaps in the region.
The CTO data shows US visitor arrivals to Bermuda fell 4.6 per cent year-on-year, while arrivals from Europe edged up 0.9 per cent, though European traffic also remains below 2019 levels.
Across the Caribbean, performance was mixed. While destinations such as Curaçao, Aruba and Guyana reported double-digit growth and surpassed pre-pandemic benchmarks, Bermuda was among several jurisdictions still struggling to fully regain airlift and demand.
Cruise traffic to Bermuda also continued to decline, with visits down 12.7 per cent for January to November, continuing a broader trend.
Hoteliers have said the Canadian market remains underdeveloped relative to its potential. David Dodwell, proprietor of The Reefs Resort & Club and a former tourism minister and Bermuda Tourism Authority chairman, has previously argued that Bermuda could do more to target Canadian travellers through focused marketing and closer collaboration with airlines serving the route.
However, broader capacity constraints continue to limit the island’s ability to scale airlift. Airline executives and aviation officials have warned that global pilot shortages, delayed aircraft deliveries and reduced hotel inventory in Bermuda are making carriers increasingly selective about where they deploy aircraft. While seat capacity has returned to pre-pandemic levels, passenger volumes remain below 2019, complicating efforts to secure more frequent or year-round service.
• For the latest CTO statistical bulletin, see Related Media
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