Tourism Minister Reports Growth Despite Global Challenges

BASSETERRE — Tourism Minister The Hon. Marsha Henderson says St. Kitts continues to record growth in its tourism industry despite global challenges, citing strong air arrivals for the first eight months of the year and more than one million cruise passenger visits last season.

Henderson spoke at a Ministry of Tourism press conference this week, where she presented the latest figures on tourism arrivals.

“Amidst these global challenges, there is continued evidence of resilience,” she said. “Summer visitation was very strong.”

She said the Statistics Department reported that as of Aug. 31, the destination had welcomed 116,468 visitors for the year to date. Henderson said service was maintained with year-round carriers, including JetBlue, American Airlines out of Miami and British Airways, as well as regional carriers.

Credit card reports also indicate visitor spending of US$34,534,416 for the first six months of the year, she said.

The minister also reported growth in the cruise sector. The destination welcomed 1,031,710 cruise passengers by the close of the 2025-26 season on Sept. 30, she said.

“This achievement reflects the work of many stakeholders across the industry,” Henderson said. “While we are grateful for this recovery, what matters most is what the numbers represent. And these numbers represent hard work, resilience, stakeholder collaboration, and a commitment to strengthening partnerships.”

Henderson encouraged tourism stakeholders to continue offering quality service to sustain the growth achieved.

“We must distinguish this destination not only by our product but also by our service,” she said. “That means offering the warm Kittitian hospitality not only to our visitors but to each other.”