Bonaire’s Tourism Growth Slowed Again in April, With Stayover Arrivals Declining

Bonaire’s tourism momentum cooled again in April, with the island reporting a slight year-over-year decline in stayover arrivals as growth across some of its biggest source markets continued to flatten.

According to preliminary data from Tourism Corporation Bonaire, the island welcomed 18,778 stayover visitors in April 2026, compared to 18,858 visitors in April 2025, a decline of 0.4 percent.

The numbers point to a market that remains relatively stable but no longer expanding at the rapid pace Bonaire had seen during the post-pandemic tourism rebound.

The Netherlands Still Leads Bonaire Tourism

The Dutch market remained Bonaire’s dominant source of visitors in April, accounting for 43.5 percent of all stayover arrivals.

The island received 8,176 visitors from the Netherlands during the month.

The United States continued to rank as Bonaire’s second-largest market, with 4,140 visitors, representing 22 percent of total arrivals.

Regional traffic also remained significant. Curaçao generated 3,381 visitors, equal to 18 percent of arrivals.

Belgium contributed 527 visitors, followed by Aruba with 507, Canada with 388, Germany with 274, Switzerland with 219, Colombia with 136, Brazil with 134, and the United Kingdom with 128.

The American Market Remains Heavily Leisure and Dive-Focused

The latest figures show Bonaire’s US market continuing to lean heavily toward leisure and dive travel.

More than half of American visitors — 51.5 percent — came for vacation travel, while 37.1 percent visited primarily for diving.

Most American travelers stayed in hotels, which accounted for 52.7 percent of accommodations used by US visitors. Villas represented 14.3 percent, followed by apartments at 7.9 percent and private properties at 6.2 percent.

The largest concentration of American travelers came from California, Florida, New York, North Carolina, and New Jersey.

Older travelers continued to represent a major part of the US market. Visitors between 55 and 64 years old made up the island’s largest American age segment at 22.2 percent, followed by travelers aged 45 to 54 at 19.5 percent.

Dutch Travelers Continue To Dominate Longer-Stay Demand

Dutch visitors continued to anchor Bonaire’s traditional longer-stay tourism segment.

Most travelers from the Netherlands arrived solo or with a partner, according to the data.

Vacation travel accounted for 72.3 percent of Dutch arrivals, followed by visits to friends and family at 10.6 percent and business travel at 5.4 percent.

Hotels remained the top accommodation choice for Dutch travelers at 49.8 percent, followed by apartments at 13.3 percent, staying with relatives at 11.3 percent, and villas at 8.2 percent.

The biggest Dutch source regions were South Holland, North Holland, North Brabant, Gelderland, and Utrecht.

The island’s Dutch market also skewed older, with travelers aged 45 to 54 accounting for 18.5 percent of arrivals and the 55-to-64 segment representing 17 percent.

A More Mature Tourism Phase

The April figures add to signs that Bonaire’s tourism sector may be entering a more mature growth phase after several years of elevated demand.

The island continues to benefit from strong loyalty among Dutch travelers and a steady stream of American dive visitors, particularly from the East Coast and Florida. But the latest data also reflects softer overall expansion as Caribbean destinations face a more competitive regional environment in 2026.

Bonaire’s tourism profile remains heavily concentrated in repeat travelers, dive tourism and longer-stay visitors, particularly among older demographics from Europe and North America.

Average length of stay also remained significantly higher among Dutch travelers than Americans, according to the Tourism Corporation Bonaire data.