Tourist visits drop 10% but spending increases to $550m
The island’s total number of visitors dropped almost 10 per cent last year, according to the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
Figures listed in the BTA’s Year End Report showed that air arrivals fell to 199,193 in 2025, down 3,887 compared with 2024.
This was coupled with cruise numbers falling 12.7 per cent — reaching 468 arrivals in 2025 against 535 the previous year.
Despite the 9.8 per cent drop, it was estimated that total visitor spending had grown by about $18 million to $550 million.
The Year End Report added that travel from Canada had grown by more than 25 per cent to 20,334, with total air spending growing to $38.9 million.
Airlift declined in the latter half of the year, mainly driven by “a very active hurricane season”.
However, the first half of the year, showed strong performance, with May the only decline.
Falling air arrivals were mainly driven by a 4,802 drop in leisure visits. The number of guests arriving to visit family and friends rose by 1,474.
Business travel dropped slightly by 142, while air travel listed as “other” dropped by 417.
Canadian air travel spiked by more than a quarter from 16,190 in 2024 to 20,334 in 2025, with Ontario the biggest driver at 2,044 flights.
Conversely, US air travel dropped from 152,114 in 2024 to 144,894 in 2025.
Regardless, air visitors were expected to have spent $411.7 million in 2025 compared with the $416.48 million in 2024.
This translated to $2,066.85 per person — a 0.8 per cent rise in 2024’s expenditure of $2,050.86 per person.
Although yacht arrivals dropped from 974 vessels in 2024 to 764 vessels in 2025, superyacht arrivals more than doubled to 119 visits.
The yachts that visited last year brought a total of 3,691 visitors — a nearly 1,500 drop compared with the 5,054 passengers for 2024.
Regardless, yacht visitors spent $11,908,210 in 2025 — a 14 per cent drop from $13,853,162 in 2024.
Superyacht spending also increased to $6.2 million, jumping by $2.4 million compared with the previous year.
Cruise arrivals were expected to decline because of fewer schedules calls in the first quarter of 2025 and lowered capacity to house cruise ships in the fourth quarter because of repairs at King’s Wharf in Dockyard.
Despite this, the average cruise ship visitor spent $295.74 per person, compared with expenditure of $214.16 per person in 2024.
This resulted in $138.27 million spent by cruise visitors in 2025, compared with $114.78 million in 2024.
The main driver for heightened visitor spending came from cruise visitors paying more for excursions and tours.
Air visitors were believed to have spent more on accommodations, while superyacht spending increased from more arrivals and operators using Bermuda as a base destination.
Sports tourism continued to play a critical role, with events such as the Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge and Bermuda Triple Crown helping attract visitors at each yearly quarter.
The report added that focused social-media campaigns proved to be successful, including the “Bermuda Welcomes You” campaign across Canada and public relations campaigns built on storytelling.
Bermuda’s accommodation infrastructure increased marginally in 2025, with the reopening of the Fairmont Southampton in 2026 expected to better these numbers significantly.
The report said: “The Bermuda Tourism Authority continues to strengthen the island’s tourism ecosystem through a range of education and training initiatives.
“These include the AnchorBDA ambassador programme and various school and industry-focused education efforts, such as supporting curriculum development.
“The BTA offers multiple programmes designed to increase awareness of Bermuda’s tourism industry and to inspire current and future professionals.”
• To read the full report, see Related Media
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