Hotels in Curacao are starting to outperform their pre-pandemic occupancy levels, according to new data from the Curacao Hotel and Tourism Association. 

Last month, the island’s large hotels had occupancy of 66.4 percent, a 2.3 percent increase over the same period in May 2019, before the onset of the pandemic. 

It was also a 161 percent jump compared to May of last year. 

Daily rates are also significantly higher, with a 36.7 percent increase compared to May 2019, while revenues per available room were up by just under 40 percent over May 2019. 

For the island’s smaller hotels, it was a bit of challenges, with what the sector called “competition with all-inclusive hotels and inexpensive travel packages compared to individual ticket prices.”

“It is evident that the sector is recovering from the COVID pandemic, as we are returning to ‘normal’ tourism with different seasons like we knew before,” the Curacao Hotel and Tourism Association said in a statement. 

While CHATA expressed concerns about rising rates, the war in Ukraine and issues at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, it said it remained “positive about the future perspectives of our hospitality and tourism sector.”