The Bahamas has announced record-breaking visitor arrivals for 2023, which exceeded the forecasted projections. The nation welcomed a total of 9,654,838 visitors in 2023, marking a historic milestone in its journey as a leading global tourism destination.
This figure represents a 38 per cent increase over 2022 and a 33 per cent increase compared to the previous 2019 record.
The 2023 result reveals a remarkable 17 per cent percent increase in foreign air arrivals, totalling 1,719,980 visitors, compared to 1,470,244 in 2022.
The Ministry of Tourism says this significant growth underscores the increasing appeal of The Bahamas as a premier air travel destination.
Sea arrivals also saw an unprecedented surge, with 7,934,858 visitors in 2023, up 43.5 per cent from the 5,530,462 who visited by sea the previous year.
The distribution of visitors across the 16-island destinations further illustrated the widespread appeal of The Bahamas. New Providence attracted 4,441,540 visitors, up 36 per cent, compared to 2022, Grand Bahama welcomed 559,812 visitors, marking a 44 per cent increase and The Family Islands saw an impressive 40 per cent rise, with 4,653,486 visitors arriving by sea and air.
Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, expressed his elation over these achievements.
