Couples, Families or Solo Travelers? New Data Matches Each to a Caribbean Island

Picking a Caribbean island usually starts with beaches, flight prices or hotel deals. New travel data suggests a faster way to narrow the list. Start with who's coming with you.

Two-person trips make up the largest share of Caribbean travel, accounting for about 40% of arrivals, according to a new report from Amadeus and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA). Family-sized groups and solo travelers aren't far behind, while groups of six or more make up a much smaller slice of the market.

Where travelers go depends on group size. Couples and other two-person parties are helping drive demand in Sint Maarten, Saint Lucia and Aruba, while family-sized groups are showing stronger interest in the Cayman Islands, Curaçao and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Guyana stands out among solo travelers, while Barbados attracts larger groups.

The data tracks air travel from April 2025 through March 2026. Caribbean travel grew only slightly during that time, but the numbers look very different when you break them down by island. Some of the smaller destinations saw the biggest gains.

The Smaller Islands Gaining Ground

Dominica had the biggest increase in visitors, with arrivals up 22%. Guyana and Sint Maarten weren't far behind. Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Aruba also saw an increase in arrivals.

Dominica has expanded its air connections while attracting travelers looking to go beyond the traditional Caribbean resort vacation. The island's Waitukubuli National Trail runs 115 miles from Scotts Head in the south to Cabrits National Park in the north, crossing rainforest, villages and volcanic terrain along the way.

Even after its recent growth, Dominica receives only a tiny share of the Caribbean's overall arrivals.

Sint Maarten also serves as a gateway to several neighboring islands. Its airport brings in travelers headed to Saint Martin, Anguilla and St. Barts.

Getting to some of the region's smaller destinations still takes more effort. Most Caribbean travelers arrive on nonstop flights, but connections are much more common when heading to places such as Guyana.

Couples Head to Sint Maarten, Saint Lucia and Aruba

Two-person trips make up the largest traveler group in the Caribbean. Sint Maarten, Saint Lucia and Aruba saw some of the strongest demand from travelers arriving in pairs.

Aruba has an advantage for travelers who don't want to spend half a vacation day getting there. Most visitors arrive on nonstop flights, and demand stays relatively steady year-round.

Its location also sets it apart during hurricane season. Aruba lies outside the area most frequently affected by hurricanes, although storms elsewhere in the region can still affect conditions on the island.

Saint Lucia is especially popular with Millennial and Gen X travelers, and visitor numbers stay fairly steady throughout the year.

Families Pick the Cayman Islands, Curaçao and the USVI

Family-sized groups account for more than a quarter of Caribbean arrivals, with the Cayman Islands, Curaçao and the U.S. Virgin Islands seeing some of the strongest growth from this segment.

The Cayman Islands led the region in growth among groups of three to five travelers, followed by Curaçao and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Curaçao stands out for another reason. It had the most consistent year-round demand of any destination measured in the report. Visitor numbers stay fairly even throughout the year rather than spiking during the winter.

The U.S. Virgin Islands have one practical difference for Americans. U.S. citizens traveling from the mainland don't need a passport.

Solo Travelers Find Room in Guyana

Solo travelers make up roughly a quarter of Caribbean arrivals, and Guyana, the Dominican Republic and Guadeloupe stand out in this segment.

Guyana offers something quite different from the classic Caribbean resort vacation. Much of the country's tourism centers on its interior, where reaching lodges and natural attractions can involve small planes, boats, and 4WD vehicles.

Kaieteur Falls is one of the country's best-known sights, dropping 741 feet in a single plunge. Farther into the interior, the Indigenous Makushi community owns and operates Surama Eco-Lodge, with residents running tours and guiding visitors through the surrounding rainforest and savannah.

This style of travel requires more planning than booking a beachfront resort, which helps explain why Guyana stands apart from many destinations usually associated with a Caribbean vacation.

Big Groups Book Barbados, Aruba and the Bahamas

Groups of six or more are the smallest traveler segment in the report, with Barbados, Aruba and the Bahamas drawing a larger share of these travelers.

Barbados also has relatively straightforward requirements for destination weddings. Couples can marry shortly after receiving a marriage license, and both people must apply through the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Timing is another consideration for groups. Barbados had the biggest swing between peak and slower seasons of any destination measured in the report, with demand heavily concentrated around the winter months.

For anyone coordinating flights and accommodations for six or more people, that seasonal difference may matter almost as much as the destination itself.

Price Matters

Who you travel with isn't the only thing that changes from island to island. Spending patterns do too.

Anguilla, St. Barts and Bermuda attract a much larger share of travelers flying business or first class than the Caribbean overall. In Anguilla, more than one in four arrivals flew in a premium cabin.

At the other end of the spectrum, where you fly from and when you go can make a considerable difference. Miami had some of the lowest average airfares to the region in the report, while September and October brought lower hotel rates than the winter high season.

With dozens of Caribbean islands to choose from, it's easy to get lost comparing beaches, resorts and airfare. The latest travel patterns offer another place to start.

Before deciding where to go, decide who's going. That answer may narrow down the Caribbean faster than another hour spent comparing beaches.