Curaçao Stayover Arrivals Surge as Peak Season Begins, Fueling Caribbean Tourism Growth: All You Need to Know

Published on December 19, 2025

Curaçao tourism is entering peak season on a strong note, with November stayover arrivals climbing nine percent year over year to over sixty-five thousand visitors. This continued growth underlines the island’s status as one of the Caribbean’s most resilient tourism destinations, driven by robust demand from South America, North America, and Europe.

The latest figures from the Curaçao Tourist Board show that the island’s strategy of diversifying its source markets and focusing on higher-yield visitors is paying off, supporting a healthy tourism economy as the winter high season gets underway.

South America, North America and Europe Drive Tourism Growth

In November, South America delivered the strongest surge for Curaçao tourism, with stayover arrivals up twenty-one percent compared to the same month last year. North America followed with a nineteen percent increase, while Europe posted a more moderate but still positive four percent rise.

The Caribbean region was the only source market to contract, with arrivals declining twenty-seven percent, suggesting that Curaçao tourism is increasingly driven by long-haul and medium-haul markets rather than intra-Caribbean travel. This shift benefits the island’s tourism revenue, as longer-haul visitors typically book longer stays and higher-spend vacations.

Europe Remains Curaçao’s Largest Tourism Source Region

Despite stronger percentage growth elsewhere, Europe remained Curaçao’s largest source region in absolute terms, accounting for twenty-six thousand six stayover visitors in November. North America ranked second with twenty-two thousand one hundred five arrivals, followed by South America with over thirteen thousand visitors.

Immigration Card data indicated an average length of stay of 8.3 nights, a solid figure that supports accommodation, dining, and excursion sectors across the island. This balance of volume and stay length reinforces Curaçao’s tourism positioning as a destination for extended Caribbean breaks rather than short weekend getaways.

Netherlands Leads Curaçao Tourism with Longest Stays

The Netherlands continued as Curaçao’s top individual source market, sending more than twenty-one thousand visitors in November, a three percent increase over November 2024. Dutch travelers also logged the longest average stays, at approximately 11.7 nights, significantly above the overall monthly average.

This deep connection between Curaçao and the Netherlands strengthens the island’s European tourism base, contributing to steady demand for long-stay holidays, family travel, and repeat visits. The extended length of stay from this market translates into higher per-visitor spending in hotels, apartments, restaurants, car rentals, and local tours, enhancing the overall impact of tourism on Curaçao’s economy.

North American Tourism to Curaçao Continues to Accelerate

The United States ranked second among Curaçao’s source markets, generating fifteen thousand plus arrivals in November, an eight percent increase year over year. Visitors from the US stayed an average of 5.8 nights, reflecting a mix of shorter sun escapes and week-long vacations aligned with school breaks and holiday periods.

Canada was the standout performer among Curaçao’s top markets, with arrivals surging sixty percent to sixty-two hundred seven visitors. Canadian travelers recorded an average stay of 8.1 nights, similar to the overall island average, indicating strong appetite for winter sun tourism in the southern Caribbean. This performance underscores Curaçao’s growing appeal in the wider North American tourism market, driven by improving air access and targeted promotion.

Year-to-Date Tourism Results Confirm Strong 2025 Momentum

From January through November 2025, Curaçao tourism maintained impressive momentum. Stayover arrivals increased thirteen percent, reaching over seven hundred thousand visitors over the first eleven months of the year.

Total tourism arrivals, including cruise and day visitors, grew nine percent to approximately 1.4 million visitors in the same period. This performance signals that Curaçao is not only attracting more stayover guests, but also successfully leveraging cruise tourism and short visits as part of a balanced tourism strategy.

Balanced Visitor Mix Strengthens Curaçao’s Tourism Profile

According to the Curaçao Tourist Board, the visitor mix from January to November 2025 consisted of 47.6 percent stayover travelers, 49.7 percent cruise passengers, and 2.7 percent day trippers. This distribution highlights a well-balanced tourism portfolio, where no single segment dominates the island’s visitor economy.

A near-even split between stayover and cruise tourism helps Curaçao spread economic benefits across sectors, with stayover guests driving accommodation and longer-term spending, while cruise passengers and day trippers support retail, tours, and attractions on high-traffic days. This diversified structure enhances resilience against market shocks and seasonal fluctuations.

Implications for Curaçao’s Tourism Development Strategy

The latest statistics suggest that Curaçao tourism is successfully executing a strategy focused on market diversification, length of stay optimization, and balanced segment growth. Strong gains from South America, North America, and Europe, combined with the island’s stable Dutch core market, position Curaçao as a competitively differentiated Caribbean destination.

As the peak winter season unfolds, these trends are likely to support further investment in hotels, boutique accommodations, restaurants, marinas, and excursions, while reinforcing Curaçao’s brand as a destination that offers a blend of European-Caribbean culture, rich heritage, and year-round sunshine. For stakeholders across the island, the current trajectory signals that Curaçao tourism is not just hot for the season, but on track for sustained, long-term growth.