Tourism arrivals from North America to Curaçao jumped 10 percent in May versus the same time last year, according to the latest statistics from the Curaçao Tourism Board (CTB). Overall stayover arrivals that month were also strong, with a total of 31,251 – up 7 percent from last year’s total of 29,196.
The CTB registered a total of 7,012 stayover visitors from North America in May, ranking North America as the second biggest contributor in visitor arrivals. Curaçao welcomed a total of 1,089 stayover visitors from Canada, with the prolongation of the WestJet flights in May resulting in 66 percent more Canadian visitors than the same month last year. Visitation from the United States grew 14 percent to a total of 5,923 stayover visitors, which the CTB attributed to a second weekly flight out of Charlotte and the upgauge of equipment with American Airlines from Miami.
Also in May, Curaçao welcomed a total of 13,844 stayover visitors from the Netherlands, the destination’s main source market, representing growth of 14 percent and the first time in Curaçao’s history that it has surpassed the 13,000 visitor mark from that market. Overall, the Netherlands represents 44 percent of the destination’s stayover arrivals.
The second main country in Europe is Germany. This year, with no direct service from Germany, Curaçao registered 1,361 German visitors, a 9 percent decrease in stayover arrivals. Overall the European region grew by 12 percent in May, for a total of 16,675 stayover visitors.
Both secondary focus countries from South America performed very well, the CTB said, recording double digit growth. From Colombia the destination registered an increase of 11 percent to a total of 1,114 stayover visitors, which the CTB attributed to marketing efforts. Traffic from Brazil recorded growth of 24 percent.
A total of 1,799 Caribbean visitors were welcomed in May, with arrivals from Curaçao’s neighbor island, Aruba, growing 4 percent.
January Through May Visitor Arrivals 2018
During the first five months of 2018, Curaçao welcomed a total of 74,371 Dutch visitors, up 10 percent from last year. The destination saw 11 percent growth in visitors from the United States, for a total of 29,249 U.S. visitors. Arrivals from Canada grew by 7 percent, to 12,837.
The overall stayover arrivals in the first five months remained flat compared to last year, the CTB said. In total Curaçao welcomed 173,984 stayover visitors in the first five months of 2018. If we take the tourism count from Venezuela (which is experiencing severe difficulties) out of the total stayover arrivals, the CTB noted, the destination would have registered 6 percent growth.
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