After positive results in 2023, the Caribbean cruise industry has seen a resurgence in visitors in 2024. Nearly 32 million travelers took a cruise in 2023, a seven percent increase from 2019, and even more are expected to travel in 2024.
This was reported by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). 2024 State of the Cruise Industry According to the report, more than 44% of these travelers went to the Caribbean. This number is more than double the 18.5% that sailed to the next highest region, the Mediterranean.
The 12.9 million cruise travelers to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda in 2023 grew by one million visitors from 2023 to 2019.
In the Bahamas, visitor numbers were almost 40% higher than in 2019, while in Barbados, 2024 is expected to exceed 200,000 visitors by 2023. Curaçao is also expected to achieve a 13% increase in the number of cruise travelers compared to the total number of cruises in 2023.
After an increase of almost 30% in 2023 compared to 2022, Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, confirmed that visitors to the Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami Beach, that the country aims to receive more than 400,000 cruise visitors annually.
While there has been a significant increase in several destinations in the region, there is room for growth in other island countries looking to attract tourists.
One of those cities that has seen a 22 percent increase in the months of January and February compared to 2023 is Cozumel. Cozumel recorded the arrival of 900,000 cruise passengers during this period, with 75 ships docking in the first 14 days of 2024.
The Port of Cozumel is the fourth most visited port in the world, welcoming more than two million cruise passengers annually. The island in the Caribbean Sea welcomes cruise ships and passengers from all over the world. All major cruise lines stop at the Punta Maya, Punta Langosta and SSA México shipping terminals on the island of Cozumel.
The once remote hideaway is one of Mexico’s most visited locations in the Caribbean. This relatively small island off the coast of Playa del Carmen, with clear turquoise waters, is known for its pristine beaches and is a premier diving destination.
With countless activities on land and in the water, it is a paradise island in every sense of the word. The glittering tropical paradise is home to luxury resorts, Mayan history and modern amenities.
Compared to other regions in Mexico, Cozumel has a very low crime rate and is considered a very safe area to travel to.
