Bonaire Island Keeps Eclipsing Its Pre-Pandemic Tourism Numbers
The Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire has been reporting surging tourism arrivals for much of 2023, a trend that has continued into the shoulder season, according to newly-released data.
Bonaire welcomed 12,609 air arrivals last month, a representing a four percent jump over the same period in 2019, before the onset of the pandemic.
That means another month of uninterrupted growth for the island, which also reported 41,465 cruise passenger arrivals and 16 cruise ship visits in May.
American travelers are staying an average of seven days on their Bonaire vacations, while Dutch visitors are staying an average of 14 nights.
The Netherlands continues to dominate arrivals to the island, accounting for 47 percent off all visitors in May; American travelers represented a 25 perent share. The top US markets for Bonaire remain Florida, New York and California, among others.
Bonaire is looking to maintain its growth through the summer, beginning with its highly-anticipated Bonaire Rum Week from June 12-17, followed by the inaugural Bonaire Yoga and Wellness Festival the following week.
