Grenada welcomed 11,299 visitors during the ten-day Spicemas 2026 period from 2 to 11 August, a 20 percent increase over the 9,448 arrivals recorded for the same window in 2025, according to figures released by the Grenada Tourism Authority.
Non-national tourist arrivals drove the growth, rising from 8,040 in 2025 to 9,958 in 2026 — a 24 percent jump. The 2026 performance also marks sustained expansion over the 2024 Spicemas period, when 7,970 arrivals were recorded across the comparable ten days.
Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture Minister Adrian Thomas said the numbers reflect Spicemas's growing strength as both a national celebration and an economic driver. «Spicemas continues to demonstrate the power of culture as a pillar of Grenada's tourism development,» he said. «This growth in arrivals speaks to the appeal of our people, our creativity, our music and the experiences that visitors and returning nationals seek when they come to Grenada.»
Thomas added that the government remains committed to supporting product development, cultural preservation and the strengthening of events that create opportunity for communities and bring economic benefit across the country.
Grenada Tourism Authority Chairman Randall Dolland described the figures as encouraging, noting that Spicemas is resonating beyond the island's shores. «The GTA has been deliberate in positioning Spicemas as a signature experience within our destination calendar, supported by public relations, digital visibility, travel trade engagement and partnerships with stakeholders who help bring the festival to life,» he said.
Dolland said the authority's focus now is to build on the momentum, strengthen the visitor experience and ensure Spicemas continues to grow in a way that benefits Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
The increase was supported by strong activity across accommodations, transportation, restaurants, entertainment venues, tour operators, vendors and other tourism-linked businesses, pointing to the wider economic impact of the festival period.
Spicemas Corporation Chairman Kirt Ross said the 2026 season reflected the strength of Grenada's festival product and the collective effort required to deliver an experience of that scale and quality. «Each year, our goal is to build on the foundation of the season before, strengthening the events, improving the patron experience and working closely with our partners to ensure that Spicemas continues to grow as one of the Caribbean's most distinctive cultural celebrations,» he said. «This year's success is a testament to the coordination, creativity and commitment of everyone involved in making Spicemas the best Mas by far.»
The Grenada Tourism Authority extended appreciation to the Spicemas Corporation, the Royal Grenada Police Force, tourism stakeholders, cultural practitioners, event organisers, media personnel, service providers, visitors, returning nationals and the people of Grenada whose collective efforts helped make the season successful and memorable.
The authority said it will continue working with public and private sector partners to strengthen and support sustainable visitor growth.
For Dominica, the Grenadian results offer a comparable measure of how a well-organised cultural festival can convert heritage into visitor arrivals. Dominica's own Carnival and World Creole Music Festival occupy a similar place in the regional calendar, and tourism officials across the Eastern Caribbean have increasingly pointed to festival periods as a reliable source of arrivals outside the traditional winter season.
The figures also underline the role of returning nationals, whose travel home for Spicemas forms part of the wider diaspora movement that sustains family ties and spending across the islands during the summer months.
