Cayman Islands Campaign Wins Silver at Magellan Awards
The "Welcome to vaCay" campaign, launched in October 2025, earned recognition in travel marketing awards and a finalist spot at The Drum Awards.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Central America
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The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism received silver in the Travel Weekly Magellan Awards for its "Welcome to vaCay" campaign. The campaign was also named a finalist in the Advertising: Travel and Tourism category at The Drum Awards for Advertising.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights a travel marketing effort that positions Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman as an alternative to exhausting modern travel. The campaign was filmed in the Cayman Islands with a largely local cast and crew.
Hotel room revenue increased 32.8% from January to September 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, and stayover visitation grew year over year for 11 consecutive months through September 2026. The extraction does not establish how much of this growth the campaign itself caused.
The players
Cayman Islands Department of Tourism
The government agency that promotes the Cayman Islands as a travel destination and ran the "Welcome to vaCay" campaign.
Travel Weekly Magellan Awards
An annual industry awards program run by Travel Weekly that recognizes travel marketing and destination campaigns.
The Drum Awards for Advertising
An international advertising awards competition held in London that recognizes creative marketing work across industries.
The details
The "Welcome to vaCay" campaign was launched in October 2025 and reaches international audiences through advertising, digital content and earned media. It earned silver in the Travel Destinations Marketing Campaign-Advertising/Marketing category at the Travel Weekly Magellan Awards.
Timeline
October 2025: "Welcome to vaCay" campaign launched.
November 30 to December 3, 2025: The Drum Awards Festival in London announced winners.
January to September 2026: Hotel room revenue rose 32.8% year over year.
Through September 2026: 11 consecutive months of stayover visitation growth recorded.
Travel Outlook
The campaign's positioning of Cayman's islands as an alternative to exhausting modern travel reflects a destination marketing approach aimed at travelers seeking quieter, less crowded alternatives. Its award recognition from the Magellan Awards and The Drum Awards places it among recent destination campaigns that compete for travel-industry attention.
Travelers considering the Cayman Islands can check the Department of Tourism website for current visitor information and destination details across Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The islands' recent visitation growth suggests steady demand, so planning ahead on lodging and flights is worthwhile.
The takeaway
Destination marketing that emphasizes a slower, less crowded experience can translate into measurable tourism gains, as the Cayman Islands' recent visitation and revenue figures suggest. Travelers interested in alternatives to crowded hubs may find the islands worth considering.
Further reading
Explore more Central America travel destinations for context on the region's tourism landscape.
More information
Visit the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism website for destination information.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Cayman Compass.
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