Curaçao Poised to Extend Visitor Growth in 2024

Curaçao is one of several Caribbean destinations to experience significant visitor growth in 2023. By November of 2023, the country had hosted 500,000 resort visitors, exceeding the 489,558 visitors Curacao hosted across all of 2022.

Curaçao also set records in 2023 for land-based visitors from each of its top markets, including the United States, Brazil, Canada and Colombia, according to Curaçao Tourist Board officials.

TravelPulse spoke with Hugo Clarinda, Curaçao's deputy director of tourism, to uncover the elements that combined to boost tourism to the southern Caribbean nation in 2023 and discuss the outlook for 2024.

TP: How did Curaçao’s government and tourism officials navigate the pandemic?

HC: A lot of islands in the Caribbean were closed for a long period of time [and] were not allowing any flights to come in. We started accepting [Caribbean] tourists in June 2020 and, then in July, started allowing tourists from the Netherlands to come in. Soon afterward, we allowed the Americans to come. So we were very early opening up after Covid.

TP: What factors led to the increase in land-based visitors in 2023?

HC: One of the factors, especially in the U.S. market, is the huge impact from the upgrading of the hotel product on the island. During the pandemic and even prior to 2019, a lot of hotels in Curaçao started renovation programs. A lot of new products have been opened, for example the Marriott just re-opened [after] it closed in 2018 for reconstruction.

We also had also the Dreams Curaçao [opened in 2019] and after that the Zoetry Curaçao [November 2021], so those are known brands in the U.S. market. And of course, the most significant one was Sandals Curaçao, which opened last year.

We have been seeing a huge growth in the North American market and especially the U.S. since the opening of Sandals. Before [Sandals’ opening], we received around 6,000 visitors per month from the U.S. It’s risen to 10,000 and 12,000 per month, so it was a significant growth.

TP: Why do you believe Curaçao isn’t better known among U.S. travelers?

HC: Curaçao is not so well-known in the U.S. market [but] with our available budget, we are very active in Latin America and in Europe. So, we are [unlike] most of the Caribbean islands that dedicate most of their investment in the U.S. market.

But in the last three or four years, we have put more money in the U.S. market, especially in branding and [public relations]. We have done a lot to activate the U.S. market over the last few years and we are seeing that huge growth.

TP: How has the destination fared in terms of airline accessibility?

HC: We are getting more airlines including Delta starting in December from Atlanta; we have United Airlines from Newark; we have JetBlue from JFK New York, and we have an American Airlines flight from Miami twice daily. In December American is increasing to daily flights from Charlotte as well. So we have more flights from the U.S., which will help us continue with this growth. 

Curacao Deputy Director of Tourism, Hugo Clarinda. (Photo Credit: Brian Major)

TP: Why do you believe airlines have increased service to Curaçao?

The existing flights have a good load factor, so that gives new airlines the confidence to enter the market. For example, United started only in the winter two years ago and with great results, they decided that they would fly not only in the winter, but year-round this coming year.

We support the additional flights with marketing activities [and] campaigns. It gives [airlines] the confidence to increase flights when they see those flights are doing well.

TP: How does the Curaçao Tourist Board address the U.S. leisure travel market?

HC: We’re working with individual travel agencies [offering] workshops and presentations to travel agencies [including] Classic Vacations, Vacation Express and Pleasant Holidays, the kind of consortiums that have a lot of travel agents associated with them.

We do a lot of marketing campaigns with them with great success, because we see the sales through those channels have increased as well. We are continuing the other approach as well this coming year. We are going to also have more initiatives for those companies and groups so we can more specifically target the travel agencies associated with those travel agency groups.

TP: What qualities distinguish Curaçao from other Caribbean destinations?

HC: Curaçao is a little different from most of the Caribbean islands. For people traveling to the region, the most important things for them are sea, sun and sand. We have that, but we also have a lot of history and culture.

Our downtown is unique because you feel like you're in Europe with the buildings and architecture. You can also go to the areas that have most of the beaches and do a lot of water sports and very high-quality scuba diving.

We have the Curaçao Sea Aquarium for example, which is a very well-known attraction [and] the Curaçao Liqueur Factory. So you can do a lot of things on the island.

You can rent a car and drive around very easily. You don't have to worry about complicated traffic. So, we are trying to make [Curacao] more well-known so people know when they come what they can expect.

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