WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao's tourism sector continued its strong performance in May 2026, with the island welcoming 65,144 stayover visitors, a 10 percent increase compared to the same month last year.
According to figures released by the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB), the growth reflects continued demand across the island's key tourism markets and reinforces tourism's role as one of the primary drivers of the local economy.
The vast majority of visitors traveled to Curaçao for vacation purposes, accounting for 87 percent of all stayover arrivals. Business travelers represented 4 percent of visitors, while 3 percent traveled to visit friends and relatives.
Visitors stayed an average of 7.8 nights on the island, generating significant economic activity across multiple sectors, including hotels, vacation rentals, restaurants, transportation services, retail businesses, and tour operators.
The Netherlands remained Curaçao's largest source market, generating 20,672 stayover arrivals during the month, a 9 percent increase compared to May 2025. Dutch visitors accounted for one-third of all stayover arrivals.
More than half of Dutch travelers chose non-resort accommodations, while the average stay reached 11.3 nights, the highest among the island's major tourism markets.
The United States continued to rank as Curaçao's second-largest market, contributing 18,658 stayover visitors, an 8 percent increase over the previous year. American visitors represented 29 percent of total arrivals and largely preferred resort accommodations.
Colombia maintained its position as one of the island's fastest-growing markets. The South American country generated 4,523 stayover arrivals in May, representing a 14 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
The positive results contributed to a strong start to the year. Between January and May, Curaçao welcomed 374,216 stayover visitors, up 9 percent from the 342,554 arrivals recorded during the first five months of 2025.
Visitor nights increased by 10 percent during the same period, indicating that travelers are not only arriving in greater numbers but are also spending more time on the island.
The Curaçao Tourist Board said the figures demonstrate the continued strength of the tourism sector while emphasizing the importance of balancing growth with sustainability and maintaining residents' quality of life.