Strong winter start for St. Kitts, with enhanced airlift, bold partnerships

St. Kitts has been having an exciting fall, earning the second spot in Skyscanner’s 2026 Trending Destinations list for Canadian travellers. The global travel search engine released its latest insights, noting that interest in the destination has skyrocketed, with online searches for St. Kitts surging by 170 per cent over last year.

And during a recent visit to Toronto, the Hon. Marsha T. Henderson, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Urban Development for St. Kitts, observed that: “People may be surprised to see a small island like St. Kitts gaining momentum like this, but for us, it is confirmation that we are making the right moves in Canada.”

Minister Henderson continued: “Skyscanner’s data indicates that by targeting the market with Canadian-specific campaigns that highlight our authentic, under-the-radar charm, we are resonating with Canadians. This is testament to the strategy and partnerships we’ve put in place that have enabled us to carve out a unique position in the market.”

Skycanner’s insights also indicated that direct airlift and the island’s new, simplified eTA entry system have contributed to the uptick in interest.

The Hon. Minister noted during her fall visit, that based on strong passenger arrivals, Air Canada has confirmed a 42% increase in seat capacity this winter, switching from a 136-seat A319 to the 201-seat Airbus A321. The seasonal, direct route that departs from Toronto, begins November 15 and continues through April 25.

Said Minister Henderson: “The increased air capacity speaks volumes to the confidence the airline has in the destination’s authentic tourism product,” said the Hon. Minister. “Canadians stay longer in St. Kitts than any other travellers, so we anticipate this added capacity will be a welcome option for those seeking alternative destinations this winter.”

And St. Kitts has been working hard to deepen its trade industry ties as it kicked off the search for its first-ever Travel Advisor Board this month, the Minister said. That initiative aims to strengthen ties and foster engagement with the travel agent community by providing professionals the opportunity to share direct feedback, offer valuable insights and contribute to the destination’s ongoing tourism strategy. Combined with its St. Kitts Your Way (SKY) program that emphasizes training, immersive webinars, exclusive rewards and fam trips, it’s just another way the destination is strengthening ties with travel advisors.

The destination is also breaking new ground with consumer facing campaigns. The Hon. Minister was on hand as St. Kitts launched a bold collaboration with Canadian fine jewelry brand, bluboho.

Go to www.visitstkitts.com .

In the photo

Seen here, from l to r, Mary Clare Wilkie, VP of Product, bluboho; two models wearing the collection; Maggie Aurocco, Founder of bluboho; the Hon. Marsha T. Henderson, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts; Anita Nightingale, CMO for St. Kitts Tourism Authority (SKTA); Laura Johnston, President of Fathom Communications; Natalie Westlake, President of bluboho; and Paul Minich, Marketing Consultant for SKTA.