by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 1:20 PM ET, Wed October 8, 2025
Ahead of a planned visit here, Bahamian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Hon. Chester Cooper spoke about the marked increase of Canadian visitors his country has seen this year.
Cooper confirmed to The Tribune that Canadian visitation has increased 75 percent over 2024. He said that the tourism delegation presently in Canada is looking to further expand airlift and build on the momentum in the Canadian market. “We see the growth in Canadian arrivals in excess of 75 percent year-over-year,” Cooper said. “We’re focused on strategy, and we’re bringing new airlift. We will continue to conduct these missions and tell the world that it’s still better in The Bahamas. We’re pressing forward.”
Canadians have been broadening their travel outlooks while avoiding the U.S., a fact many destinations are crediting with a boost in Canadian visitors. While The Bahamas have faced a dip in American visitors, the steep incline in Canadians is helping to temper the loss.
According to The Tribune, travellers to The Bahamas from the U.S. make up 90 percent of the nation’s visitor base.
“Quarter one of 2026 is looking strong. Fourth quarter is looking good relative to last year. We’ve seen some dips in stopover business, driven mainly by the fall-off in consumer confidence in our major source market, USA, as well as other geopolitical issues,” Cooper said. “We’re tracking slightly behind last year, which was a record-setting year in terms of stopovers, but suffice to say we are 10 percent ahead roughly in overall arrivals. We anticipate that this is going to hold towards the year-end.”
Part of the Bahamian strategy to increase tourism is to encourage longer stays and stopovers. “The number of things there is to see and do, we’re working with the Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation to bolster heritage tourism, regattas, festivals. It works together, all as a whole. And that’s why we say tourism is everybody’s business. We all have a role to play,” Cooper says.
The delegation planned stops in Halifax, Ottawa and Calgary with a showcase of The Bahamas’ 16 islands, cultural programming including a junkanoo, and updates on new direct airlift from Canada as well as new openings.
Topics From This Article to Explore
