BTA hails rising visitor numbers, spending in 2024
The Bermuda Tourism Authority has reported an increasing number of visitors to the island in 2024, despite lingering challenges caused by hotel capacity.
Figures released by the quango showed that leisure air visitor numbers rose from 121,170 to 139,546 between 2023 and 2024, an increase of more than 15 per cent.
Those numbers still fell short of pre-pandemic arrival figures. A total of 191,417 air arrivals were recorded in 2019 and 203,697 were recorded in 2018.
A BTA spokeswoman said that the year-on-year growth was bolstered by expanded air capacity offering more options for visitors to reach the island.
“Notably, air arrivals during the non-summer months of January through May, and September through December, saw a boost in leisure travellers, resulting in a significant contribution to visitor spending during these periods,” she said.
“Visitor spending showed impressive gains, with total visitor spending reaching $531 million.
“Air visitors spent a total of $416.5 million in 2024, reflecting a 22 per cent increase from the previous year.
“On a per-person basis, air visitors spent an average of $2,051, marking a rise of over 11 per cent year-over-year.
“The increased spending was largely driven by accommodations, with total air visitors spending 35.7 per cent more at hotels, totalling an estimated $245.1 million.”
The BTA said restaurants and transportation services also recorded “modest growth” in visitor spending.
The Bermuda Tourism Authority hoped to build on the successes of 2024 this year, despite few expected changes in hotel capacity or airlift.
The BTA’s 2024 year-end report said: “With hotel inventory expected to remain flat and airlift capacity stabilising, strategic efforts will prioritise occupancy optimisation, increased visitor spending, experience diversification and infrastructure improvements to enhance Bermuda’s long-term tourism competitiveness.”
It said that only a small increase in rooms is expected before 2026, but reinvestments are being made at several properties to improve the island’s tourism product.
“Incentivised by the Bermuda Government’s Tourism Investment Act which rewards investment with tax concessions, several hotels are currently making improvements across the island in time for the ramp-up of the spring travel season,” the report said.
“This reinvestment aligns with Bermuda’s strategic objective to elevate the overall value proposition and improve Bermuda’s market positioning in the competitive luxury and premium travel segments.”
The report noted that BermudAir is to launch new routes this year, but air capacity overall was projected to remain “relatively flat”.
The BTA said that this year it would continue to develop, support and elevate “signature experiences” that align with international travel trends, creating curated experiences to drive visitors to Bermuda during the typically slower period between November and March.
In addition to expanding programmes such as Restaurant Weeks and Spa Month, the BTA will partner with the Bermuda National Trust to support history and heritage tours and deepen partnerships to position Bermuda as a luxury boating destination.
The BTA also said it would work to grow its AnchorBDA programme offering hospitality training and service development opportunities.
“Stakeholders will be encouraged to enrol early, with fee waivers incentivising participation in 2025,” the report said.
“The programme’s objectives include improving service standards, visitor satisfaction and destination reputation.”
The BTA said that targeted efforts will be made to promote Bermuda more outside the United States, historically the island’s largest market.
“While these markets showed modest growth in 2024, strategic content marketing, PR, travel trade partnerships and influencer collaborations will aim to accelerate performance for 2025,” the report said.
“Bermuda will continue leveraging high-impact digital marketing strategies, including its industry-recognised content creator initiatives, to attract younger, experience-driven travellers.
“The BTA’s partnership with the Topicals skincare brand, and other leading content creators has demonstrated measurable success in expanding Bermuda’s brand visibility among BIPOC travellers and underserved demographics, which aligns with our national tourism goals to drive visitation from these visitor segments.
“These initiatives will be expanded in 2025, ensuring that Bermuda remains relevant in an evolving consumer landscape.”
Hotel occupancy rates were also up 4.5 per cent, while revenue per room rose 10.8 per cent.
However, the BTA noted that the lack of available hotel beds limited the number of visitors who could fly to the island over the busy summer months.
“The temporary closure and renovation of major properties, such as the Fairmont Southampton and Elbow Beach hotels, has shrunk the available inventory, with hotel capacity remaining at approximately 75 per cent of 2019 levels,” the BTA said.
“In 2025, hotel capacity is expected to remain relatively flat, with only modest increases anticipated, including the addition of some newly completed rooms in the Nautilus wing of Azura and the planned opening of Hillcrest, a new 14-room boutique hotel in St George’s.
“However, several hotels are taking advantage of the Government’s Tourism Investment Act to enhance their offerings, which will add overall value to the Bermuda tourism product.”
The number of cruise visitors rose slightly year-on-year, despite several cancellations caused by weather, with 538,000 visitors coming to the island.
However, the BTA said that cruise passengers spent slightly less on the island per person than they did in 2023.
The return of the Newport Bermuda Race and Bermuda’s hosting of SailGP helped to bolster the number of visiting yachts by 41 per cent, with a total of 974 yachts, including 79 superyachts, visiting the island’s shores and putting $13.85 million into the economy.
“Sports and maritime tourism remained central to Bermuda’s strategy to drive visitation throughout the year,” the spokeswoman said.
“Key events such as the Chubb Triangle Challenge and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship PGA Tour event attracted international visitors and generated significant visibility for the destination in 2024.
“Competitive sailing events, including the Apex Bermuda SailGP and the Newport Bermuda Yacht Race, further supported increased arrivals and positive economic impact.”
A falling number of cruise ship visitors caused a year-on-year decline in visitor numbers in the closing months of 2024.
Figures released by the Bermuda Tourism Authority showed that a total of 27,519 visitors flew to the island between the start of October and the end of December, while 78,977 cruise ship visitors reached Bermuda’s shores.
While air arrivals were almost 30 per cent higher than the 21,262 recorded in 2023, the number of cruise ship visits was down 34 per cent from the 120,103 recorded the previous year.
Leisure air visitors also spent less time on the island than in 2023, with the average length of stay falling from 5.85 days in 2023 to 5.49 days in 2024.
Airlift to the island was up by almost 25 per cent during the quarter, with 25,010 additional seats on Bermuda-bound aircraft, while seat sales were up 15 per cent with an additional 11,189 people flying to the island including visitors and residents.
Combined, the figures meant that there was an increase in empty seats, with the load factor of Bermuda-bound aircraft falling from 70.7 per cent to 65.6 per cent year-on-year.
Air visitors spent an estimated $53 million on the island in the quarter, $10.5 million more than the same period in 2023, but the amount spent per visitor fell by about $71 year-on-year.
Hotel occupancy during the fourth quarter was up from 53.7 per cent in 2023 to 61.9 per cent in 2024.
The BTA said that its efforts to promote the island had borne fruit, with 375 premium media placements generating a media value of $232.9 million and reaching an audience of more than 776 million impressions.
“A notable success was the Airline Support Campaign, which focused on increasing occupancy during off-peak periods,” the spokeswoman said.
“This effort, along with the increased airlift itself, contributed to higher visitation during autumn and winter.”
The BTA also noted its work to bolster tourism-related businesses on the island with educational and training programmes.
Tracy Berkeley, the organisation’s chief executive, said the island’s tourism industry was moving in the right direction.
“Bermuda has seen growth across key metrics in 2024, and my team is on track for more good news, driving long-term group business and making inroads in the luxury sector,” she said.
“We have delivered targeted marketing for the destination, created low-friction experiences designed to meet visitor expectations, and through our education and training programmes we are strengthening community partnerships.
“Like the rest of our community, we look forward to welcoming even more visitors in 2025 and 2026.
“The opportunity lies in optimising occupancy during the non-summer months, and our efforts have already shown a lift in visitor spending throughout the fall and winter periods.
“The strategy is bearing fruit, and I am confident that we will see continued progress.”
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