WILLEMSTAD - The two largest providers of day trips to Klein Curaçao, Mermaid Boat Trips and Miss Ann Boat Trips, have merged into one company, announced last week. Once competitors, the two companies have officially reported the merger to the Fair Trade Authority Curaçao (FTAC).
Mermaid and Miss Ann have been market leaders in trips to Klein Curaçao for nearly 40 years. Both companies, founded in 1986, operate their own beach houses on the island. According to brothers Travis and Tyler Anthony (Mermaid) and Jonathan van der Vlies (Miss Ann), sailing is in their blood. "We learned the craft from our parents," they told the newspaper. Since 2022, Mermaid has been owned by the Anthony brothers, while the Van der Vlies family has been running Miss Ann since its founding.
The merger follows years of collaboration between the two families. In 2023, they established the Klein Curaçao Conservation Foundation, focused on environmental protection and sustainable tourism. The merger accelerated when the owners of Irie Tours put their shares up for sale earlier this year.
By joining forces, Mermaid and Miss Ann were able to acquire Irie Tours. "The market has been growing since the pandemic, and we want to jointly capitalize on the demand for unique experiences on Curaçao," said the owners.
With this merger, the companies aim not only to operate more efficiently but also to increase their contributions to sustainable tourism. "This is not just a business move; we are doing this for the future of Klein Curaçao and our island," they added.