"Tourism Should Be For Curaçao, Not Curaçao For Tourism!"
WILLEMSTAD -The Partido Nashonal di Pueblo (PNP) faction has submitted an urgent petition to the President of the Parliament of Curaçao to convene a Central Committee meeting as soon as possible to address the tourism carrying capacity of our country. The PNP faction is deeply concerned that the current explosive and accelerated growth of tourism is happening at the expense of the local people ('Yu di Kòrsou').
Curaçao is our pride, our home, and our heritage. While the PNP embraces economic development and welcomes visitors, the current reality is alarming. This disproportionate expansion places immense pressure on our infrastructure, such as water, electricity, and roads, pushes locals out of the housing market, and threatens the authenticity and nature that form the very soul of our island.
The tourism sector itself, through CHATA, recently raised the alarm, advocating for a strategic reorientation toward high-value, low-impact tourism. "When the sector itself asks to take a breather and re-evaluate what we are doing, Parliament cannot sit idly by," the Faction emphasizes.
To ensure that our country's development prioritizes the local community and our heritage, the PNP wishes to debate the following points during the Central Committee meeting:
• Destination Carrying Capacity Study: An analysis of the maximum number of visitors and rooms that Curaçao can sustain.
• Tourism Masterplan 2027-2032: How this plan will guarantee the protection of our culture, infrastructure, and the quality of life of our people.
• Urban Planning (EOP): The permitting process for mega-projects that block coastal access for locals and negatively affect our nature and monuments.
• Local Economy: Measures to ensure that tourism revenue circulates locally, providing a dignified living for workers and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).
The PNP faction has requested that representatives from the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB), the Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Association (CHATA), and the CARMABI Foundation be invited to share their expertise directly with Parliament.