Visitor spending in Antigua and Barbuda has surged by 48 percent over the past decade, reaching its highest level on record, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced Thursday during the presentation of the 2026 national budget.
Browne said tourism receipts climbed to $2.4 billion in 2024, driven not only by traditional leisure travel but by a growing pipeline of high-value international events that have strengthened the country’s global profile and boosted average visitor expenditure. He pointed to the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), the Caribbean Travel Marketplace and the Organization of American States General Assembly as examples of events that attracted thousands of delegates and generated higher per-capita spending than typical leisure tourism.
“Our tourism product is stronger and more valuable than ever,” Browne told Parliament, emphasizing that the country’s shift toward higher-spending markets is producing one of the most resilient revenue streams in the economy. He said Antigua and Barbuda’s emergence as the Caribbean’s leading meetings and conference destination has expanded the tourism base far beyond seasonal travel.
The Prime Minister said the rise in receipts reflects the success of the government’s investment in upgraded infrastructure — including the modern cruise port, expanded airlift partnerships and a broadened accommodation mix that includes hotels, boutique villas and a rapidly expanding Airbnb market. Airbnb alone now accounts for about 35 percent of visitor stays, helping to spread tourism earnings deeper into communities.
Browne added that the continued expansion of the luxury yachting sector, strengthened culinary tourism and new entertainment offerings contributed to the upward trend in expenditure. He said visitor spending is expected to continue rising as the country prepares to host the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which is forecast to bring thousands of high-spend attendees.
The Prime Minister said the growth in receipts underscores the central role of tourism in national development and supports broader fiscal gains highlighted in the budget, including surpluses and increased capital investment.
The budget debate resumes next week.
