The Dr. Terrance Drew-led Labour asministration is celebrating the resounding success of its newly implemented Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system, which played a critical role in managing a dramatic influx of visitors during the 2025 St. Kitts Music Festival. Launched on 26th May, the digital platform efficiently processed thousands of travel applications, marking a transformative shift in the country’s immigration infrastructure.
Between 21st and 28th June, 2025, a total of 7,711 passengers arrived in St. Kitts and Nevis by air and sea – a 3,718 increase compared to the same period in 2023, when only 4,429 visitors were recorded. The most significant spike occurred on 26th June, the eve of the main festival events, with 1,564 arrivals – the highest single-day figure ever recorded prior to the Music Festival.
“This record-breaking performance during the festival is a powerful demonstration of how innovation and strategic planning are improving our visitor experience while strengthening national security,” said Prime Minister and Minister of Immigration, Dr. Terrance Drew. “We are not only keeping pace with global standards – but we are also setting them.”
In just over a month of operation, the eTA system has processed more than 21,000 applications, with 21,138 approvals recorded and an impressive average turnaround time of just over nine hours. The high-tech upgrade has also significantly reduced immigration wait times at ports of entry, dropping from 50 seconds to just three seconds through the newly implemented biocorridor technology.
The eTA system has further confirmed Saint Kitts and Nevis’s strong appeal as a leisure destination. Of the processed applications, more than 8,800 travellers listed “pleasure” as their primary reason for visiting. Additionally, the system generated over USD $107,000 in traveller fees, providing direct financial contributions to the national development agenda.
Officials have praised the seamless integration of technology with border security and tourism facilitation, calling the eTA platform a model for modern, secure, and efficient travel systems in the region.
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