WILLEMSTAD - The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) will launch the 2025 Business Survey: Part II (Business Confidence Survey) this November, targeting a selection of local companies to assess business performance and economic sentiment across Curaçao.

The purpose of the annual survey is to gather up-to-date information on business developments, economic conditions, and entrepreneurs’ perceptions of the investment climate. CBS emphasizes that the survey is based on estimates rather than final figures.

The 2025 edition will cover companies with ten or more employees, while a sample will be taken from businesses with three to nine employees. In total, around 800 companies are expected to participate.

Key Findings from the 2024 Business Confidence Survey

Economic confidence remained stable in 2024. The percentage of entrepreneurs reporting a decline in confidence fell slightly from 10% to 9%, while those noting an improvement dropped from 32% to 29%. The share reporting no change rose from 59% to 62%.

Future outlook improved: the share of companies expressing confidence in the future rose from 73% to 75%, while those lacking confidence dropped from 8% to 5%.

Investment climate perceptions strengthened: 32% of companies rated the investment climate as good, up from 27% in 2023. Meanwhile, the share of companies rating it as poor fell from 11% to 7%.

Revenue trends improved: the proportion of businesses reporting a decline in income fell from 33% to 25%, while those reporting an increase in income rose from 48% to 55%.

The Business Confidence Index, which reflects expectations about future performance, investment sentiment, and sales development, reached 127 points in 2024, marking a 13-point increase compared to 2023.

Profitability strengthened: 73% of businesses reported positive results in 2024, up from 69% in 2023 and 65% in 2022. Conversely, 27% of companies anticipated negative results, down from 31% the previous year.

The CBS notes that these trends indicate a steady improvement in business confidence and economic resilience on Curaçao, supported by stronger revenues, an improved investment climate, and greater optimism among local entrepreneurs.