WILLEMSTAD – With the number of registered restaurants on Curaçao surpassing 600, the Curaçao Restaurant Association (CRA) is calling for a temporary moratorium on new dining establishments, citing rising operational costs and an increasingly saturated market.
“We’re seeing new restaurants open while others close just as quickly,” said CRA spokesperson Martin den Dulk. According to him, a one- to two-year pause in the issuance of new restaurant permits would provide time to restructure the licensing system and allow underperforming businesses to exit the market naturally. “After that, we can evaluate where and how space for new initiatives might exist,” he added.
The CRA is currently in discussions with representatives from the Ministry of Economic Development (MEO) and the Department of Legislation and Legal Affairs to simplify the current restaurant licensing system. “There are now too many types of permits—coffeehouses, beer halls, Restaurant A, Restaurant B—labels that no longer reflect today’s reality,” said Den Dulk. The CRA is advocating for a modernized single-permit system with clear criteria to enhance both transparency and regulatory oversight.
One promising development, Den Dulk noted, is MEO’s recent commitment to issue economic permits within three weeks, allowing business owners to begin operations while awaiting other approvals, such as fire safety certifications. “As long as there’s proper follow-up and inspections, businesses that don’t meet the standards can still be closed,” he emphasized. “We’re in favor of enforcement, but above all, we want better regulation.”
While Curaçao’s restaurant sector continues to expand, buoyed in part by growing tourism, Den Dulk cautioned that this doesn’t automatically translate to more diners. With more tourists choosing to stay in apartments and Airbnb rentals, rather than hotels, the impact is being felt by both the hospitality and food service sectors. “The pie isn’t necessarily getting bigger—there are just more people trying to eat from it,” he concluded.
