WILLEMSTAD - December occupancy figures were almost ten percent lower than the previous month and also December 2021, CASHA reports. The interest group in the small-scale tourism sector says that the prospects for next year are less rosy than before.  

According to the organization, this is because small business owners and tourists suffer from the high-ticket prices for individual airline tickets. “Our members lose a lot of bookings because of these high-ticket prices compared to similar destinations. This applies to both the European and North American markets,” says CASHA.  

According to the interest group, it is nowadays increasingly cheaper to book a hotel + flight than a separate flight and a separate hotel. According to CASHA, the problem of ticket prices does not only affect tourists who opt for smaller accommodations. “It is also a problem for the local population. If this trend continues, we will all become prisoners on our own island.”  

In addition, CASHA reports that a return flight in March from Curaçao to Amsterdam is much more expensive than from Amsterdam to Curaçao. According to the calculations, a tourist pays 1,340 euros for a return flight with KLM from Curaçao to Amsterdam and 1,183 euros from Amsterdam to Curaçao. For 436 euros more, you can also stay all-in for seven days at the Corendon Mangrove Beach Resort. With TUI travelers pay about 1215 euros for a single return from Curaçao to Amsterdam and about 885 euros from Amsterdam to Curaçao. Including a seven-day stay at Chogogo, this costs 1,366 euros.  

Finally, CASHA reports that car rental companies performed as well in the last month of 2022 as they did in 2021. Diving schools and attractions continued to run about fifty percent turnover. “2023 will bring some new challenges for us, we are in talks with several airlines and other partners to turn the tide of ticket prices.”