Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, the Hon. Chester Cooper revealed the 2025 tourist arrival numbers in the House Of Assembly on Wednesday.
Cooper told Parliamentarians the country had record numbers of tourist in the country last year. He said, “The Bahamas welcomed an unprecedented 12.5 million visitors, the highest total arrivals ever recorded. Visitor arrivals grew 11.4%, year over year, surpassing 2024’s record and exceeding our pre-pandemic 2019 levels by more than 72%.”
Cruise arrivals increased by 14% with 10.6 million arrivals while 1.7 million visitors arrived by air in 2025 a decrease from the previous year. Cooper said, “while some may seek to downplay the impact of these arrivals, they represent jobs and salaries, shifts being filled, inventory purchased, tours booked, taxis running, restaurants busy, marinas active, straw vendors selling, small hotels and AirBnB hosts earning and Bahamian families feeling the difference across our islands.”
This is the third consecutive year tourist arrival numbers have broken records.
