Grenada hails ‘strong return’ in UK visitor numbers after 2025 dip

Grenada has reported a “strong return” in UK visitor numbers this year, reversing a 2025 lull that saw the island rely on its regional and cruise markets.

Stacey Liburd, chief executive of the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), said UK stayover arrivals to the Caribbean island were down last year but an increase in cruise visitation meant the destination “kept our visitor numbers in the green”.

“The UK represented our second-largest source market until 2025, when the Caribbean region became our second-largest source market, with 28,915 visitors,” she told Travel Weekly. “By the end of that year, UK arrivals were at 27,500.”

But Liburd said visitor levels from the UK had bounced back this year, adding: “We’re now seeing a strong return. This Q1, the UK is firmly back as our second-largest source market, with a 17% increase in market share.”

Liburd cited a variety of contributing factors for the increased UK visitation, including increased airlift from the UK, with British Airways recently moving its onward connection to Grenada from the Saint Lucia flight to a more-frequent Barbados route.

The homeporting of Star Clippers’ namesake ship in Grenada this winter has also proven successful.

Liburd said: “We can see great conversion, as people are coming in pre and post-cruise. We’re having conversations with other, smaller cruise lines to consider Grenada for homeporting.”

Grenada hopes to capitalise on growing demand from the UK by introducing new festivals, including the first National Flower Festival in November, as well as the Lobster and Lambie festival taking place in January on neighbouring Carriacou.

The destination is also keen to diversify its source markets as conflict in the Middle East causes hesitancy among US travellers.

“We are 54% reliant [in terms of visitor arrivals] on the US market,” said Liburd. “The political climate affected us greatly. At the beginning of the year we saw some softening, but it presents opportunities for us to be able to grow the UK market.”

She explained the destination is investing in building its trade relationships as she described the UK as “a very key market for us” as she added: “Normally, we come for a trade mission around August or September, but we’re in market for the first time this year for our spring 2026 sales mission.”

The island will also host a “tourism symposium” later in the year, with the date to be confirmed.

Liburd said: “We normally host one large trade initiative on the island – this year, we’re looking at targeting about 50 agents.”