The Caribbean Islands Actually Growing While Everyone Watches The Big Names

This content originally appeared on News Americas Now. Dominica and Sint Maarten are leading Caribbean tourism growth as smaller islands gain visitors while major destinations remain flat, according to new regional travel data. News Americas Now, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. Oct. 8, 2026: While the Caribbean's best-known destinations saw visitor numbers hold flat over the past year, a handful of smaller Caribbean islands are quietly posting the region's strongest growth, according to the latest Caribbean tourism trends data. Second-tier destinations grew 2 percent overall even as top-tier markets stalled, with Dominica leading the pack at 22 percent growth and Sint Maarten close behind at 18 percent. The numbers suggest travelers are increasingly looking past the Caribbean's most heavily marketed islands in search of less-crowded alternatives. The shift isn't limited to winter high season. Brazil posted 60 percent growth in low-season Caribbean arrivals, while Colombia logged 26 percent low-season growth – both helping island destinations extend demand beyond the traditional December-to-April peak. Intra-regional travel is also playing a role. CARIFESTA XV, held in Barbados in 2025, drew a 23 percent jump in arrivals, with intra-Caribbean travelers accounting for 23.3 percent of total visitors – a reminder that regional and diaspora travel, not just long-haul international tourism, is a growing piece of the region's visitor economy. For destinations outside the Caribbean's usual headline-grabbers, the data points to a real opportunity: as flat growth at the top forces travelers to look elsewhere, islands like Dominica and Sint Maarten are positioned to capture visitors – and spending – that might once have gone exclusively to the region's biggest names.