Grenada’s tourism authority says visitor spending reached a record in 2025 and is forecast to rise again in 2026. According to a Caribbean Journal report published on October 21, 2026, tourism expenditure was approximately US$387.8 million in 2025, with a projection of US$395.6 million for 2026. The numbers are supplied by the Grenada Tourism Authority, so they are an official industry view rather than an independent audit. This article sets out what was reported and what it means, and does not mean, for someone planning a Caribbean stay.

The figures in the report

The main numbers published are:

• 2025 total: about US$387.8 million in visitor spending.
• 2026 forecast: US$395.6 million, an additional US$7.7 million. This is a full-year projection, not a completed result.
• Growth since 2023: a 20.4 percent increase in visitor expenditure between 2023 and 2025.
• Stayover visitors: about US$364.8 million in 2025, up 5.14 percent from 2024 and roughly 94 percent of total spending.
• Cruise visitors: about US$22.9 million in 2025, up 56.6 percent from the previous year.

The report also says combined spending passed the equivalent of EC$1 billion, which is about US$370 million, and that Grenada expects to pass that level again in 2026, with stayover spending forecast to exceed US$370.4 million.

Stayover versus cruise

The split matters. A stayover visitor sleeps on the island, usually in a hotel, guesthouse or villa, and spends on lodging, meals, transport and activities across several nights. A cruise visitor spends a few hours ashore. Stayovers made up about 94 percent of spending, which tells you that the economy leans heavily on people who book rooms. The cruise segment grew faster in percentage terms, but from a much smaller base.

For a traveller this is a reminder to look at the base number as well as the growth rate. A 56.6 percent rise in a small category can still be small in absolute terms. Similar logic applies to many tourism headlines we report, for example the record cruise year in Cozumel.

Events and new experiences

The report says arrivals during Spicemas, Grenada’s carnival, which ran August 2 to 11, rose 20 percent compared with the same dates in 2025. It also describes a newly launched programme called Pure Experiences, which connects visitors with locally operated activities across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

Randall Dolland, chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority, is quoted as saying, “Our priority must be to deepen the connections between tourism and the wider economy.” The report says the authority’s chief of operations and acting chief executive, Kirl Grant-Hoschtialek, cited community-based experiences as a focus for 2027, though it gives no direct quote.

What this means if you are planning a trip

Record spending is not a booking signal on its own. It does not tell you about room availability, rates, service quality or crowding on a given week. It does suggest that demand for the destination has been growing, which is a good reason to book earlier if you want a specific property or peak dates.

It also helps to know the timing. Grenada sits in the southern Caribbean, but you should still check hurricane-season advice before travelling between June and November. Our guide to protecting a resort trip during hurricane season and our explainer on choosing the right month will help you decide when to go.

If you are weighing Grenada against other islands, compare what each place offers beyond the resort. We cover Barbados in things to do in Barbados beyond the resort and the wider trend toward high-end all-inclusive travel in our report on the Virtuoso 2027 Luxe Report.

Reading tourism statistics sensibly

When an authority reports a record, three questions help. First, who produced the number? Here it is the national tourism authority, which has an interest in presenting growth. Second, is the figure a result or a forecast? The 2025 figure is described as an outcome, and the 2026 figure is a projection. Third, what is it measuring? Spending is not the same as arrivals, so a higher spending total can come from more visitors, higher prices, or both. The report does not break this down.

We have not seen detailed 2026 arrival counts or a hotel occupancy figure for Grenada, so we cannot say how crowded the island will be this winter. If you are planning a stay, check current availability directly with your chosen property, and read our guide on reading resort reviews without being misled before you decide.