It’s no secret that the pandemic changed things for the Caribbean travel industry. Perhaps most notably, it changed the calendar.
The whole notion of seasonality changed. For many Caribbean destinations, that now means hotels that are full in the summer, not half empty. Restaurants that are buzzing, not sleepy. In other words, year-round travel.
Exhibit A? The Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao, which has been one of the biggest post-pandemic success stories in Caribbean travel, a trend that seems to be continuing.
The latest data show Curacao having another booming summer month, with July tourist arrivals climbing 16 percent last month.
That is among the highest growth rates of any Caribbean island, with a total of 58,951 stayover visitors.
So who’s coming to Curacao?
Dutch visitors remain the dominant market, with 27 percent growth last month and a total of 24,569 travelers. But the United States, which has been sending record-breaking numbers of travelers to Curacao in the last few years (largely since the debut of the Sandals Royal Curacao), sent 13,757 travelers, which was itself a 10 percent jump.
Another interesting market? Brazil, which saw 42 percent growth compared to July of last year, with 4,196 arrivals, making it a source market to keep an eye on.
So far this year, Curacao’s tourism is up by 25 percent, a surging number that includes a total of 405,724 total stayover arrivals.
And it seems like this is just the beginning for a Caribbean destination on the rise.
Are you planning a vacation to Curacao? The island has an exciting hotel product right now, from newer additions like the Sandals Royal Curacao to one of the top resorts anywhere in the Caribbean, the Baoase Luxury Resort.
Royal Caribbean Just Revealed a New Ship, Star of the Seas — and It’s Designed for Families
