by Brian Major
Last updated: 1:20 PM ET, Wed May 20, 2026
Serving as the
host destination for the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association's (CHTA)
Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM) 2026, Antigua and Barbuda reported a strong
beginning to the year.
Antigua and
Barbuda recorded 110,832 overnight arrivals in Q1 2026, compared to 103,843 in
the same period in 2025, representing a 6.7% year-over-year increase reported
Charles H. Fernandez, minister of tourism, civil aviation, transportation and
investment and Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority
(ABTA).
The growth was consistent across all three months. January arrivals
rose 5% to 36,052; February climbed 6% to 36,133; and March posted the
strongest gain at 8%, reaching 38,097 visitors.
The United Kingdom
led source market growth for the first quarter of 2026, posting a 14% increase
over the first quarter of 2025. The USA remains the single largest source
market for the quarter at 46% of overnight arrivals, followed by Europe (34%),
Canada (12%), the Caribbean (5%), LATAM (1%), and other markets (2%).
The destination
is also actively pursuing diversification into Latin America and Africa as
emerging growth corridors, in response to a global trend toward visitors
seeking more authentic and immersive travel experiences.
The strong overnight
arrivals performance is mirrored in the cruise sector, where Antigua and
Barbuda is forecasting a 21.9% increase in arrivals for 2026, with projected
cruise visitors reaching 894,469, up from 733,526 in 2019. Cruise ship calls
are expected to grow from 388 to 483 over this same period, driven in part by
increased home-porting activity.
Supporting this
growth is a new $30 million cruise terminal which opened on January 24, 2026,
as part of the broader Upland Development Project, designed to modernize the
visitor arrival experience and expand cruise capacity. Full project completion
is expected by July 2026.
Antigua and
Barbuda is welcoming new airline service. Sunrise Airways launched twice-weekly
service between Antigua and the Dominican Republic on May 1; Liat Air began
twice-weekly flights to Guadeloupe on May 8; and Air Peace is set to launch an
Antigua to Lagos via Barbados route on May 25, operating twice monthly.
On the
infrastructure side, the V.C. Bird International Airport’s runway
rehabilitation and expansion is underway, and the newly opened Burton-Nibbs
International Airport on sister island Barbuda has been purpose-built to
support Barbuda's growing eco-luxury tourism segment.
Development in
the destination's accommodation offerings continues apace. Moon Gate Hotel
& Spa is scheduled to open in 2026, offering 71 suites across nine
buildings plus seven two-bedroom villas. On Barbuda, the Nobu Beach Inn is
under construction with completion expected in late 2026.
Looking further
ahead, the Nikki Beach Resort and Spa, comprising 84 hotel rooms and 127 luxury
residences, is targeting a 2029 launch, while the Rosewood Hotel Barbuda, featuring
50 resort suites and 35 residences, is slated for 2028. A Marriott Leisure
World Hotel with 114 keys and eight overwater villas is also in development.
The destination's
capability as a host nation will reach a landmark moment later this year with
the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled November
1- 4, under the theme "Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a
Prosperous Commonwealth."
Between 3,000 and
5,000 delegates, participants, and media are expected, and Antigua and Barbuda
will make history as the first CHOGM host to incorporate a concert and cricket
tournament into the official program. Underpinning all of this is a firm
government commitment to sustainable, high-value tourism, according to ABTA
officials, with conservation measures including reef protection initiatives,
anti-overfishing oversight, and a strategic focus on greater local community
participation in the tourism product.
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