Cayman Islands: Record Tourism, Big Investment & What's Next | Deputy Premier Gary Rutty
Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism Gary Rutty delivers the Cayman Islands' address at Caribbean Week New York 2026 — and the numbers speak for themselves.
March 2026 marked the highest monthly air arrivals in Cayman Islands history: 64,213 visitors, the first time the destination has surpassed 60,000 air arrivals in a single month. Within the first 120 days of 2026, the islands welcomed nearly 800,000 air and cruise visitors combined.
Minister Rutty outlines what is driving that momentum — and what comes next. A new national tourism plan focused on sustainable growth, workforce development and destination stewardship is in development. A national digital transformation task force will deliver recommendations across three pillars: digital trust and cybersecurity, AI and workforce transformation, and digital assets and economic diversification.
On the investment front, the Mandarin Oriental Residency Grand Cayman — the brand's first new-build resort and residential project in the Caribbean — broke ground in February 2026, with completion set for 2028. The Hyatt Grand Cayman (382 rooms on Seven Mile Beach) opens later this year. Cayman Enterprise City was recently ranked by the Financial Times Group as the best knowledge zone in the Americas.
📍 Learn more about the Caribbean Tourism Organization: https://www.onecaribbean.org
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