More than 32 million people visited the Caribbean in 2023, and that number should be eclipsed by the end of this year. In other words, the Caribbean is more popular than ever — deepening its position not just as the world’s premier warm-weather destination but, in our opinion, as the most complex, diverse, vibrant destination on the planet. We work hard to convey how layered, how distinctive, the Caribbean is across its more than 30 different destinations.

With the Caribbean Travel Awards, now in its 11th annual edition, we celebrate the mosaic of Caribbean travel excellence across 36 different categories ranging from the Caribbean Destination of the Year to the region’s leading chef to its top tourism executive, as voted on by the world’s foresmost experts on Caribbean travel: the Caribbean Journal Editorial Team, who have nearly a century of experience traversing the Caribbean, exploring the region in depth and immersing themselves in the Caribbean with on-the-ground travel.

“This is the 11th edition of the Caribbean Travel Awards, and the tapestry of Caribbean tourism has never been more dynamic,” said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal. “The Caribbean continues to evolve: new hotels redefine the hospitality experience; all-inclusive resorts reinvent the concept; destinations look not just to sustainability but to regenerative travel; and the world’s most exciting culinary destination just keeps tasting better. We’re extremely optimistic about what’s next in the Caribbean, and with this year’s awards we honor the people and places that are working so hard to keep pushing it forward. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!” 

Destination of the Year: The Bahamas

After a record-breaking year in 2023, The Bahamas has reinforced its position as a Caribbean tourism powerhouse this year, with a continued surge in air and sea arrivals, a booming hotel pipeline and a commitment to sustainability that isn’t just welcome — it’s essential in a country of 700 islands and cays that is in many ways defined by the sea. But it’s been comprehensive growth — not just in Nassau and Paradise Island, where travelers keep flocking for its blend of world-class resorts, a cutting-edge culinary scene and a commitment to on-the-ground experiences to the exciting develpoments in Out Islands like Eleuthera, which is seeing strong growth in new airlift and renewed hotel expansion. By virtue of its size, The Bahamas is a travel universe unto itself. And for a destination that says it’s “Better in The Bahamas,” well, it’s getting better and better.