Americans Keep Flocking to the Caribbean Island of Curacao

Whether it’s the beaches, the food, the culture or the charms of its capital, Curacao has been seeing blazing tourism growth in the last two years. 

But the biggest story in Curacao’s success has been a dramatic shift in visitation from the Caribbean’s most important source market: the United States. 

In the last couple of years, Curacao has seen significant growth in arrivals from the US, bending its typical demographic map toward North America. 

That continued last month, when the Dutch Caribbean island saw 20 percent growth in arrivals from America compared to the same month last year. 

That represented a total of 12,544 visitors, up from 10,483 in October 2023. 

Overall, the island reported an 11 percent jump in stayover arrivals year over year, buoyed by a similarly strong 16 percent increase from the mainland Netherlands market. 

For the year, Curacao is up 23 percent compared to the first 10 months of last year – one of the fastest growth rates of any destination in the Caribbean right now now. 

Are you planning a vacation to Curacao? Flights have never been more pervasive, from new Atlanta service on Delta to easy access on carriers like JetBlue and American Airlines. 

What about hotels? The island is home to a remarkably diverse collection of places to stay, whether you’re at luxury resorts like the Baoase (one of our all-time favorite Caribbean hotels), the new Sandals Royal Curacao or boutique options such as the Kura Botanica, a resort we recently stayed at and loved for its village-style feel (rates from $193.24) or the great-value Brion City Hotel ($121 per night) right in the heart of Willemstad, you won’t lack for great options. 

And did we mention the green rum?