WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao Tourist Board, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Development and the Curaçao Innovation & Technology Institute, has certified a total of 62 establishments that successfully completed the Quality Assurance certification program. The certification program recognizes 40 accommodations and 22 dive schools that met the required standards following a comprehensive audit process. These audits assess each establishment’s compliance with criteria related to service quality, safety, and operational consistency. During a pleasant ceremony, Mr. Muryad de Bruin, CTB Managing Director, together with Mrs. Monique Raphaela, Managing Director of CITI, presented certification plaques to the participating establishments. In addition to the physical plaques, recipients were also provided with digital certificates and an interactive digital badge provided by CITI.
Established in 2014, the ‘Quality Assurance’ certification program aims to ensure that Curaçao’s tourism offerings consistently meet high standards of quality, safety, and reliability. The program currently covers the accommodation sector (apartments, bungalows, villas) and dive schools. Accommodations are classified into three categories: Deluxe, Comfort, and Economy, based on service quality, infrastructure, and available amenities. The classification system is designed to better align visitors’ expectations with the level of service provided.
A newly introduced component of the program focuses on sustainability. Establishments are now also evaluated based on their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). Those that met the sustainability criteria received an additional SDG seal displayed on their certification plaque. Key sustainability criteria include effective waste management, waste collection and separation, renewable energy, life below water, and quality education.
Certified establishments will also be featured on the CTB website. The certification remains valid for two years and can be renewed upon successful completion of a follow-up audit.