Nearly Half of American Visitors to This Caribbean Island Are Coming for One Thing: Diving

Diving is the biggest reason Americans are traveling to Bonaire. Nearly half of the island’s U.S. visitors in September — 48.1 percent — identified diving as their primary purpose for the trip, ahead of general vacation travel.

That finding comes from preliminary September 2026 figures released by Tourism Corporation Bonaire. The island welcomed 2,613 American visitors during the month, making the United States its second-largest source market, behind the Netherlands.

The dive-driven American market was part of a broader increase in arrivals. Bonaire received 12,758 stayover visitors in September, up 4.6 percent from the 12,196 visitors recorded in September 2025.

Diving Was the Leading Draw for Americans

The September figures put diving ahead of the vacation category, which accounted for 40.5 percent of American visits. Another 1.6 percent came to visit friends and family.

The distinction is telling: these travelers identified diving itself as the primary purpose of their visit. The underwater experience was the reason for choosing the island, rather than simply an activity to fit into a wider vacation.

That helps explain the prominence of dive-focused accommodations and services on Bonaire. We recently reported on Buddy Dive’s shore-diving specialty course, a full-day program that teaches certified divers the local techniques, regulations and practical skills for exploring the island from shore.

The same coastal setting also offers options for travelers who prefer to stay closer to the surface. Our recent look at Bonaire’s shore snorkeling explored another way to experience the island’s underwater scenery.

Who Is Making the Trip

American visitors most commonly traveled with a partner, followed by those traveling alone. Their leading states of origin were Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and North Carolina.

The age profile leaned toward older travelers. Visitors aged 55–64 represented 27.2 percent of American arrivals, while those 65 and older accounted for 22.3 percent.

Together, those two groups represented 49.5 percent of U.S. visitors in September. The figures describe the American market overall; they do not provide a separate age breakdown for visitors whose primary purpose was diving.

Hotels were the most common accommodation choice, hosting 58.1 percent of American visitors. Villas accounted for 11.3 percent, followed by visitors’ own properties at 6.8 percent, apartments at 5.4 percent and stays with relatives at 3.1 percent.

Our Bonaire hotel guide explored the range of accommodations available, including dive resorts, beachfront properties and smaller hotels.

A Different Pattern Among Dutch Travelers

While diving led American travel, general vacation travel dominated the island’s largest source market. Bonaire welcomed 6,234 Dutch visitors in September, accounting for 48.9 percent of all stayover arrivals.

Among Dutch visitors, 69.7 percent came for vacation, followed by visits to friends and family at 9.3 percent and business travel at 7.8 percent. Partners were the most common travel companions, followed by solo travel.

Hotels accommodated 54.4 percent of Dutch visitors, while apartments accounted for 14.7 percent and stays with relatives represented 10.1 percent. The largest age groups were 55–64, at 26.4 percent, and 25–34, at 23.8 percent.

Most Dutch visitors came from South Holland, North Holland, North Brabant, Gelderland and Utrecht. The Netherlands and the United States together supplied nearly seven in every 10 stayover visitors during September.

Overall Arrivals Increased

Curaçao was Bonaire’s third-largest source market, contributing 1,601 visitors, or 12.5 percent of arrivals. Aruba followed with 265 visitors, Germany with 259 and Belgium with 243, with smaller totals from Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and the United Kingdom.

September’s overall gain amounted to 562 additional stayover visitors compared with a year earlier. Within that growing visitor total, the American travel profile offered a clear takeaway: diving remained the leading reason U.S. travelers chose Bonaire.