Bermuda Tourism Sees Mid-Year Gains in Air Travel, Hotel Performance — And a Surge in Superyacht Visits
Bermuda is seeing solid tourism growth so far in 2025, according to newly-released numbers from the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
Leisure air arrivals to the island grew by nearly 3 percent year-to-date, with Q2 holding steady at 0.3 percent growth. Visitors arriving by air spent an average of $2,235 per person in the second quater, driving a year-to-date spend of $2,133 per person and a total of $134.9 million—an increase of 2 percent compared to the same period in 2024, according to the BTA.
Family travel continued to expand, with the number of children under 17 visiting the island up nearly 10 percent year-on-year.
Bermuda saw air capacity contract in the second quarter, with inbound seats down six percent to 151,632—a year-to-date decline of just over 3 percent. Despite the reduction of 8,092 inbound seats, stronger arrivals have pushed airline load factors higher.
The island’s hotel sector remains constrained by the continued closure of its largest hotel and conference facility, leaving Bermuda with about 75 percent of its 2019 room inventory. Even so, hotel performance improved in the first half of 2025: occupancy grew by 4 percent, while hoteliers reported an 8.4 percent rise in average daily rates (ADR) and a 12.7 percent jump in revenue per available room (RevPAR).
Cruise traffic picked up seasonally in Q2 with a 3 percent increase, but volumes remain behind 2024 levels. Through June 30, Bermuda welcomed 210,947 cruise visitors—10 percent fewer than the same period last year. The BTA projects cruise arrivals will not reach 2024 totals, with construction work at King’s Wharf scheduled to begin in October further impacting arrivals.
Perhaps the most interesting data point came in the rarefied superyacht sector: 68 superyachts came calling in the second quarter — a 17 percent year-on-year increase.
Standard yacht arrivals were lower, reflecting the biennial schedule of the Newport–Bermuda Race, which drew more than 160 yachts in 2024 and will return in 2026.
