KINGSTON, St Vincent – St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has emerged as the top-performing Caribbean destination for growth in US tourism arrivals during the first quarter of 2025, according to Carlos James, minister of tourism, civil aviation, sustainable development, and culture, the island nation achieved an impressive 74.8 percent increase in US visitors compared to the same period in 2024.
Minister James shared these results following his return from the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) Caribbean Week conference, held from June 1-8 in New York City. A CTO report revealed that of the 11 Caribbean destinations reporting growth from the US market, SVG led the region, followed by Curaçao (23.5%), Barbados (22%), and Antigua (12.4%).
“This performance underscores the transformative progress in our tourism industry. We continue to position St Vincent and the Grenadines as a globally competitive destination by embracing innovation, enhancing market intelligence and fostering greater collaboration among stakeholders,” said minister James.
SVG also ranked among the top performers across all source markets, achieving 12.8 percent overall growth for the first quarter of 2025. Curaçao led with 16.6 percent growth, followed by Bermuda (9.8%) and Dominica (9.6%).
Minister James highlighted the island’s historic tourism achievements in 2024:
“We had a record-breaking year in stay-over arrivals for 2024, with 102,766 stay-over visitors, this was a 27.2 percent increase on the previous year’s performance. In 2025 we are already seeing a 12.8 percent increase in Q1 of 2025 YoY on those numbers,” James added. “Tourism is one of the leading contributors to our country’s GDP and creates direct and indirect opportunities through linkages across sectors, driving economic growth and improving livelihoods.”
The tourism minister commended stakeholders who contributed to this remarkable achievement. St Vincent and the Grenadines continues to play a leading role in the region’s tourism recovery, the island nation reinforces its commitment to sustainable growth, global competitiveness and delivering unforgettable experiences to visitors.