WILLEMSTAD - The alcohol ban on Curaçao for the catering industry and in public spaces does not apply to people who stay in hotels. This was confirmed to Curaçao Chronicle by Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath. Today the Minister of Economic Development Dr. Steven Martina will sign the ministerial order to ratify this decision.

It concerns registered hotel guests, which can be tourists from other countries, but also residents of Curaçao.

From December 1, stricter measures were taken on the island to prevent further spread of the corona virus. The measures apply in any case for three weeks.

Bars, cafes and restaurants are not allowed to serve alcohol and also it is not allowed to drink alcohol on the street and all casinos must be closed. Restaurants are not allowed to let guests sit inside, but only offer delivery or take out. The hotel sector reacted furiously to that decision. According to the sector, it would be disastrous for tourism. 

The Dutch travel advice for Curaçao is currently yellow, which means that tourists from the Netherlands can simply come. On the island, the number of corona infections has been rising for a month.

On Tuesday, a record number of new infections was again registered on the island with 124 cases. Three corona patients also died within 24 hours, bringing the number of corona deaths to seven.