I am writing to you today with a heavy heart, watching the island we love transform before our eyes. While it is wonderful that the world is discovering the beauty of Curaçao—shifting from an underrated gem to a trending destination—we must ask ourselves at what cost this popularity comes. We are standing on a precipice where the danger of overtourism threatens to wash away the very identity that makes us unique.
We are witnessing the "McDonaldization" of our island. Just as fast-food chains prioritize efficiency and standardization over quality, we are seeing our unique culture homogenized to package a "predictable" Caribbean experience for the masses. We are in danger of becoming a "McWorld," where our unique towns lose their identifying features in favor of generic tourist hubs. If we are not careful, our beloved Willemstad and our wild countryside will suffer from "Disneyfication," turning our home into an open-air theme park where locals are mere extras in a tourist’s backdrop.
A major concern is the rise of all-inclusive tourism and standardized travel packages that encourage visitors to stay within the "bubble" of international hotel chains. This form of "McTravel" offers little benefit to our local economy. When tourists stay in these compounds, the profits often flow overseas to international corporations rather than circulating among our local businesses, restaurants, and artisans. We see visitors bypassing the authentic soul of the island—places like Plasa Bieu or Jaanchie’s—in favor of standardized, imported experiences. This leaves many of our people with "McJobs"—low-skilled, low-paying positions with little prospect for growth, serving an industry that does not serve us back.
Furthermore, the displacement of locals from our own natural resources is becoming unbearable. Our beaches, the birthright of every Yu di Kòrsou, are increasingly restricted. We see a trend where access is blocked or commodified, with fees charged for entry to places that should be free for our community. This "privatization" of our coastline creates a sense of "solastalgia"—the distress we feel when our home environment is altered and taken from us. We are facing conflicts over our own natural resources as water and land are prioritized for resorts rather than the community.
We must also be realistic about our capacity. Our infrastructure is weak. Overtourism places immense strain on our water supply, waste management, and roads. When the number of visitors exceeds our island's ability to manage them, we risk environmental degradation and a diminished quality of life for residents. We cannot allow our island to reach a breaking point where traffic gridlock and resource depletion become our daily reality.
Tourism is fine, and indeed necessary for our economy, but it must not be in excess. We need a model that respects our "dushi" lifestyle—our language, our slow pace, and our community. We need "sustainable tourism" that prioritizes the well-being of the host community, not just the demands of the visitor.
Let us not trade our soul for quick profits. We want to keep the island being the Curaçao that we all love, not a "McVersion" of it.