WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao's economy grew by 5.1 percent in 2025, according to preliminary figures released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), marking another year of strong economic expansion largely fueled by tourism and investment.
The growth in the island's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was driven by broad-based improvements across several key sectors, with tourism-related industries once again serving as the primary engine of economic activity.
According to CBS, the accommodation and food services sector recorded the strongest growth at 10.8 percent, reflecting higher hotel occupancy rates and increased spending by visitors. The number of tourist overnight stays rose from 6.06 million in 2024 to 6.62 million in 2025, while total stay-over visitor arrivals increased from 700,242 to 788,427.
CBS noted that continued growth in arrivals from South America, Canada, and the United States contributed significantly to the sector's performance.
The construction sector also posted strong results, expanding by 9.4 percent as investment continued in tourism-related projects and private real estate developments. Both the number of building permits issued and the overall value of construction projects increased during the year.
Financial services grew by 9.8 percent, while the trade sector expanded by 6.8 percent, indicating stronger domestic demand and increased economic transactions throughout the economy.
Transportation services also benefited from the increase in tourism and commercial activity, recording growth of 7.1 percent.
Several other sectors contributed positively to economic expansion, including real estate activities (4.2 percent), professional services (4.2 percent), public administration (4.8 percent), healthcare and social services (3.8 percent), and administrative support services (3.8 percent).
The strong economic performance comes at a time when global economic growth remained relatively moderate. According to CBS, the world economy expanded by 3.4 percent in 2025, while Latin America recorded growth of 2.7 percent. The Caribbean region grew by 6.2 percent.
The preliminary figures suggest that Curaçao continues to outperform many regional and international economies, with tourism remaining a critical pillar of growth.
CBS emphasized that the data remain preliminary because complete information for all sectors is not yet available. Final figures may be adjusted as additional data are received and analyzed.