Americans are traveling to this Caribbean destination in record numbers, and it’s not Cancun!
A combination of unrelated factors has propelled the bafflement Caribbean island of Curaçao has been on the radar of American travelers since summer 2022 – and the trend shows no signs of slowing.
In August, the Dutch island reported a 24 percent increase in American visitors and welcomed 14,703 arrivals – the highest growth of any segment for Curaçao, according to data from the local Tourist Board.
In October the island registered 12,544 arrivals from the United Stateswhich represents a 20 percent increase compared to the 10,483 who visited during the same period the year before.
In summary, Curaçao recorded 53,234 overnight visitors last month, reflecting an 11% increase in the number of arrivals of different nationalities.
The Curaçao Tourist Board also reported a noticeable increase in the number of families with children, who prefer to enjoy the island during the weekend.
This pattern could explain why 74% of American tourists choose all-inclusive resorts as their preferred type of accommodation.
“Most U.S. visitors (74%) preferred resort hotels, while 26% chose other types of accommodations. On average, visitors from the US stayed 5.8 nights, with most travelers coming from New York, Florida, New Jersey, Texas and Georgia.”
The Netherlands, Curaçao’s mainland, remains the second most important source market. Last month, 20,114 Dutch people flew to the island, an increase of 16% compared to the 17,395 arrivals in the same month in 2023.
Once again, Colombia is emerging as one of the fastest growing markets for Caribbean islands, with an 11% increase in visitors compared to October 2023, with a total of 3,914 arrivals last month.
“To date, Curaçao welcomed 566,827 overnight stay arrivals, 23,730 day trippers and 627,395 cruise passengers, and welcomed a total of 1,217,952 arrivals from January through October 2024, an increase of 23% compared to the same period last year,” said the Tourist Board.
This rather positive trend stems from the collaboration between the Board of Tourism, the Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Association and the local authorities, who have expected a strong Christmas season and an equally excellent 2025.
“Curaçao’s tourism sector shows solid stability in 2024, with the strategic effort to remain consistent in creating awareness in key focus markets. This growth highlights the island’s success in creating demand by showing supply “Feel it for yourself,” reads the latter Tourist Office of Curaçao press release.
What drives the growing interest of Americans in visiting Curaçao?
Known for its rich history, mixed European and Caribbean culture, colorful colonial architecture, turquoise waters and laid-back atmosphere, this island has long been a haven for travelers – nothing new until now.
However, as we have already mentioned, there are several factors driving the increase in visitors. These include the development of multiple well-known American resort brands, minimum sargassum arrivals, and a lack of destructive hurricanes.
Over the past two years, Curacao has attracted major resort brands traditionally popular with American tourists, further strengthening Curacao’s appeal as a top destination in the Caribbean. Notable openings include Sandals Royal Curaçao (June 2022), Courtyard by Marriott Curacao (June 2024), The Reef at Mangrove Beach Corendon Curaçao All inclusive, Curio from Hilton (2024), and an adults-only section at Dreams Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino (2024).
Another important factor is that in 2024, Curaçao experienced minimal impacts from sargassum, a seaweed that has severely affected other Caribbean hotspots such as the Mexican Caribbean. While beachgoers on the north coast could see some accumulation of seaweed, the popular southern beaches remained largely clean and inviting.
Last but not least, Curaçao’s location outside the primary hurricane belt significantly reduced the risk of direct hurricane impacts, giving it an advantage over many Caribbean competitors that suffered from the arrival of devastating hurricanes this year.
Featured image source: Source: Sandals Royal Curacao
