WILLEMSTAD – Canada has become the fastest-growing source market for tourism to Curaçao at the start of 2026, overtaking the United States as the main driver behind the island’s growth in stay-over tourism. While the Netherlands remains the largest market in absolute visitor numbers, Canada is currently contributing most strongly to overall growth.
According to figures released by the Curaçao Tourist Board, nearly 7,600 visitors from Canada arrived on the island in January. This represents an increase of 26 percent compared to the same month in 2025, making Canada the most dynamic growth market for Curaçao’s tourism sector.
In total, Curaçao welcomed close to 80,000 stay-over visitors in January, an increase of eight percent year-on-year. Europe remains the largest source region, accounting for nearly 30,000 visitors, followed by North America and South America. Growth from Europe, including the Netherlands, has been more moderate compared to the sharp increase in arrivals from Canada.
A notable characteristic of the Canadian market is the length of stay. Canadian visitors spend an average of eleven nights on the island, significantly longer than American tourists, who stay an average of 6.4 nights. This suggests that the Canadian market is not only expanding rapidly but is also economically attractive due to longer stays and higher overall spending.
Tourism officials see the strong performance of the Canadian market as an important development for diversification within Curaçao’s tourism strategy, particularly as longer stays contribute more substantially to the local economy.