After struggling for several years out of the pandemic, the island of Bermuda saw a renaissance in 2023, according to a new report from the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
Last year saw across-the-board tourism improvements, including air capacity, arrivals and cruise passengers.
Combined visitors arrivals to the island saw a 29.9 percent increase compared to 2022, while stay over visitors posted a 27.1 percent jump and cruise traffic saw a nearly 31 percent improvement.
It is getting much easier to fly to Bermuda, thanks in large part to the debut last year of Bermuda’s new luxury airline, Bermudair, which continues to add new routes from major cities in the United States.
The island’s biggest obstacle will be adding more hotel rooms; inventory “remained flat” in 2023, although occupancy did climb by 15 percent.
But the numbers are very strong signs for an island whose ultra-strict health protocols at the height of the pandemic led to one of the longest-delayed tourism recoveries in the hemisphere.
While Bermuda isn’t geographically in the Caribbean, it is an associate member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).