(CNS): Official figures released by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism show that 284,274 people vacationed here last year and 743,394 cruise passengers called at George Town port, as the tourism sector began recovering once the borders opened, cruise ships began returning and all restrictions were lifted by the summer. The figures for both sectors surpassed the targets set by the government, with stay-over guests reaching more than half of the 2019 figures and well over the revised target of 250,000.

All travel restrictions were lifted at the end of August and air arrivals soared, the DoT stated on its website. Overnight guests during the last quarter of 2023 averaged 89% of 2019’s numbers, and for the full year, January through December, the Cayman Islands recorded 57% of the numbers in the year before the pandemic crushed the tourism sector.

Meanwhile, over 126,000 people came via cruise ship in December alone, bringing the yearly total to just over the original 40% target of 2019 passenger numbers by the end of 2020.