The Bahamas Maintains Positive Growth Momentum in Q2 2026

  • The Bahamian economy maintained positive momentum in Q2 2026, supported by stronger tourism activity and ongoing construction-related investment.
  • According to the Central Bank of The Bahamas’ (CBOB) Quarterly Economic Review, growth was led by a rebound in high-value stopover arrivals and continued expansion in cruise tourism.
  • Tourism sector output maintained healthy gains during the quarter. In the private vacation rental market, total room nights sold increased by 7.7% to 170,989, with bookings for hotel-comparable listings rising 12.5% to 66,155 and entire-place listings increasing 5.0% to 104,834.
  • Performance indicators also strengthened, with the average occupancy rate for hotel-comparable listings increasing by 2.9 percentage points to 51.8%, while occupancy for entire-place listings moved higher by 1.1 percentage points to 51.6%. Average daily rates rose 6.8% to US$760.39 for entire-place listings and 1.7% to US$175.68 for hotel-comparable listings.
  • According to data from Nassau Airport Development Company Limited, quarterly total departures, net of domestic passengers, rose by 5.4% year-over-year to 0.5Mn. Non-US international traffic expanded by 24.5%, while US departures, which accounted for 83.9% of total passengers, grew by 2.4%.
  • Small- to medium-scale foreign investment projects also supported construction activity through residential, resort and private cruise destination developments. Broader economic indicators remained aligned with medium- to long-term trends.
  • Meanwhile, the latest labour market data for Q4 2025 showed that the unemployment rate decreased relative to both the previous quarter and Q4 2024. However, inflationary pressures increased, reflecting the pass-through effects of higher global oil prices on imported fuel and other goods and services.
  • The Bahamas’ positive growth momentum appears to have extended into Q3, with the CBOB’s July 2026 data showing that tourism output growth strengthened. Total departures from Nassau, net of domestic traffic, increased by 7.1% year-over-year, while vacation-rental room nights sold rose 10.5%. However, the CBOB continues to flag geopolitical pressures and higher imported fuel costs as headwinds to the outlook.

(Sources: The Nassau Guardian & Central Bank of The Bahamas)