Trinidad and Tobago Recorded More Air Travellers Last Year as Cruise Tourism Slowed: A Detailed Comparative Analysis

Written By: Ananya Dey

Ananya Dey

I amAnanya Dey, a Journalism and Mass Communication postgraduate with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science (Honours). I am passionate about travel, writing, and research, with a strong interest in storytelling and content creation.

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September 3, 2026 1:30 AM |

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Trinidad and Tobago attracts more air travellers last year while cruise tourism slows and yachts gain ground as the country’s visitor mix changes sharply. International air arrivals rose 12.3% in the first half of 2025, reaching 187,871. Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago attracts more air travellers last year while cruise tourism slows and yachts gain ground because cruise passengers dropped from 111,647 to 50,194. Yacht traffic moved differently, rising slightly to 624 vessels. Trinidad drove most air growth, while Tobago remained the stronger cruise destination. The figures show aviation becoming increasingly important to the country’s tourism recovery and visitor economy.

Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Performance: Air, Cruise and Yacht Trends

The table shows a sharp change in Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism mix during the first half of 2025. International air arrivals rose 12.3% to 187,871, led mainly by Trinidad. Tobago also recorded stronger air traffic. Cruise tourism moved in the opposite direction, with passenger arrivals falling 55% to 50,194 as cruise ship calls also declined. Trinidad recorded the steepest cruise drop, while Tobago remained the country’s stronger cruise destination. Yacht activity was more stable, increasing slightly nationwide to 624 vessels. Overall, the figures point to stronger aviation demand, weaker cruise traffic and resilient yacht tourism.

International Air Arrivals Strengthen in 2025

Air travel is the strongest part of the latest tourism performance.

International air arrivals increased from 167,245 in the first half of 2024 to 187,871 in the same period of 2025. That represents growth of about 12.3%.

Trinidad drove most of this expansion. International air arrivals to Trinidad increased from 159,557 to 179,647.

Tobago also recorded growth, although from a smaller base. Air arrivals increased from 7,688 in January–June 2024 to 8,224 in January–June 2025.

The longer-term recovery is also clear. Total international air arrivals increased from 95,284 in 2020 to 333,626 in 2024.

Cruise Tourism Drops Sharply After Strong 2023 and 2024 Performance

Cruise tourism moved in the opposite direction.

Cruise passenger arrivals reached 139,591 in 2023 before easing to 129,579 in 2024.

The fall became much sharper during the first half of 2025. Cruise passengers declined from 111,647 in January–June 2024 to 50,194 in January–June 2025.

Trinidad recorded the steepest reduction. Cruise passenger arrivals fell from 39,811 to 10,125.

Tobago remained the larger cruise destination, but it also recorded a decline from 71,836 cruise passengers to 40,069.

Tobago Remains the Stronger Cruise Destination

Tobago continues to outperform Trinidad in cruise tourism.

In 2024, Tobago welcomed 82,249 cruise passengers compared with 47,330 in Trinidad.

Tobago also received 55 cruise ships in 2024, more than double Trinidad’s 26.

During January–June 2025, Tobago received 30 cruise ships and 40,069 passengers. Trinidad received 10 ships and 10,125 passengers.

This confirms that Tobago remains more dependent on cruise tourism than Trinidad.

Yacht Arrivals Continue to Expand

Yacht traffic presents a different growth story.

The number of yachts increased from 255 in 2020 to 1,045 in 2024.

During January–June 2025, 624 yachts were recorded, slightly above the 616 vessels recorded during the same period of 2024.

Trinidad accounted for most of this activity. Yacht arrivals increased from 492 in the first half of 2024 to 522 in the first half of 2025.

Tobago recorded 102 yachts during January–June 2025, down from 124 a year earlier.

Trinidad Leads Overall Visitor Volume

Trinidad remains the larger tourism market by total arrivals.

In 2024, Trinidad received 367,015 visitors, compared with 96,190 in Tobago.

During the first half of 2025, Trinidad recorded 189,772 visitors, while Tobago received 48,293.

The gap reflects Trinidad’s stronger air-arrival base, while Tobago carries a much larger share of cruise tourism.

Tourism Mix Is Changing

The data shows a clear change in the country’s visitor mix.

Air arrivals are strengthening. Cruise traffic is falling. Yacht arrivals remain resilient.

That means Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism recovery is becoming increasingly dependent on air connectivity, while Tobago continues to carry the stronger cruise-tourism role.

For travellers and tourism businesses, the most important trend is not simply how many visitors are arriving. It is how they arrive, where they stay and which parts of the country benefit most from each travel segment.

Trinidad and Tobago attracted more air travellers last year because international air arrivals increased strongly during the first half of 2025. At the same time, cruise tourism slowed sharply, with passenger numbers falling by more than half compared with the same period of 2024. Yacht activity remained comparatively stable and edged higher nationwide. Trinidad continued to dominate air arrivals and total visitor volume, while Tobago maintained its stronger position in cruise tourism. The data shows a changing tourism market where air connectivity is gaining importance, cruise traffic is losing momentum and yacht travel is emerging as a resilient part of the visitor mix.