Travel Trends - April 2025 Curaçao’s Tourism Statistics

Curaçao continues to solidify its position as a premier Caribbean destination, as demonstrated by yet more impressive growth in the first quarter of 2025. Compared to the same period last year, the island welcomed 17% more arrivals, accompanied by a 9% increase in stayover visitors. Perhaps most notably, March marked a historic shift: for the first time, North American arrivals outpaced those from Europe in a month. This long-anticipated change reflects evolving travel patterns and underscores the island’s growing appeal among a broadening demographic.

Cruise calls for the quarter finished 1 shy of last year’s 42, though overall, the ships this year were marginally smaller, bringing roughly 10,500 fewer visitors to our shores, representing a 13% decline.  More than 20 carriers offer direct flights to Curaçao. American Airlines once again led all in both arrivals and stayovers accounting for 19% of travelers during March, while Delta’s new direct route continues to show remarkable growth, logging once again a >550% increase this March vs last . 

Trends & Opportunities

Curaçao’s tourism landscape continues to evolve and for property owners and investors, the data from Q1 reveals key insights into traveler behavior, emerging markets and where opportunity lies in the months ahead. 

In March, the Caribbean region posted the strongest MoM growth, with arrivals increasing 33.4% versus March ‘24. However, quarterly figures show a YoY dip of 19.3%, signaling seasonality or capacity shifts. The real momentum lies in the North and South American markets. March arrivals were up 17.3% and 21.6% respectively, and for Q1 overall, 

those numbers grew even further; 21.2% for 

North America and 31.5% for South America. These figures point to a sustained upward trend, especially from North America, which is now reshaping Curaçao’s visitor demographics.

For the first time on record, Europe was unseated as Curaçao’s leading arrivals source, with North America contributing 1,431 more visitors in March. While the Netherlands remained the top single source country, it did so by a razor-thin margin of 483 more travelers than the U.S. This milestone underscores an important shift: Curaçao is becoming a prime destination for American travelers.  Factors driving this surge

include the continued expansion of direct flights from key U.S. cities, Curaçao’s reputation for safety, culture, natural beauty and a strong appeal among new Caribbean 

travelers seeking alternatives to more saturated destinations.

With visitor preferences and source markets changing, owners and investors should take note of stay choices, originating region and guest stay length. In March, 54% of all visitors chose hotel resorts while 46% opted for alternatives, This near 50/50 split reinforces the growing competitiveness and legitimacy of short-term rentals, particularly for well-managed properties that offer the amenities and reliability of resort stays. Average stay length decreased to 7.9 nights, from 11.4 in February.

Visitor deep-dive analysis

Netherlands (22,485 visitors | ↑16.5% YoY)

• Visitors stayed the longest on average with a stay of 11.4 nights

• 47% chose hotels, the rest in alternative accommodations

***Represents a high-value segment ideal for longer-term bookings or premium rentals

United States (22,002 visitors | ↑17.4% YoY)

• Visitors stayed on average 5.8 nights, down from 8.4 in February

• 67% chose resort hotels, the highest percentage of any nationality

***Shorter stays are indicative of the month but also signal a preference for convenience, which professionally managed rentals can replicate.  Best to ensure your minimum stay and last-minute booking promotion account for this. 

Canada (6,013 visitors | ↑16.9% YoY)

• Visitors stayed on average 7.9 nights, down from 12.9 in February

• 59% chose hotels, up from 54% last month

***Canadians represent a consistent, stable market for mid-length stays with growing openness to resort-style amenities in a non-resort setting. 

Key Takeaways

• The number of guests from both Canada and the United States are growing rapidly. They want reliable, comfort-focused accommodations that generally speaking, mirror hotel standards.

• Be cognizant of the month and adapt to shorter stays. With average visit length fluctuating,  properties with flexible options and responsive service always stand out.

• Capitalize on European loyalty. The Dutch still represent the island’s most consistent, long-stay audience and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. Calendar settings should be optimized to capture these extended bookings.

• Convenience should always be highlighted. Whether you offer high-speed Wi-Fi, easy self-check-in, or concierge add-on services, meeting the expectations of today’s traveler is critical