WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao’s tourism sector is increasingly shaped by accommodations outside the traditional hotel industry, with a significant share of visitors opting for apartments, villas, and other forms of non-hotel lodging. This trend is reflected in recent data from the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) and the Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Association (Chata).
During a recent government press conference on tourism and its economic impact, CTB managing director Muryad de Bruin stressed the importance of maintaining a diverse and dependable range of accommodation options. Chata chief executive Anuschka Martens-Cova highlighted the growing role of the non-regular accommodation sector, which now represents roughly 25 percent of Curaçao’s total room capacity.
According to CTB figures, 44 percent of visitors currently stay in so-called “other lodgings,” while 56 percent choose resort hotels. Within the non-hotel category, apartments account for approximately 27 percent of stays and villas for 23 percent. The remainder consists of other forms of accommodation, as well as lodgings whose specific type has not been clearly classified.
These figures underscore the structural importance of a sector often associated with platforms such as Airbnb and Booking, but which in practice encompasses a broad range of privately owned and small-scale rental properties. To address quality and reliability within this segment, the CTB introduced a Quality Assurance Program in July 2025.
The program targets apartments, villas, bungalows, and other alternative accommodations with up to 40 self-contained guest units. Its aim is to raise standards across the sector while offering participating operators official recognition and greater international visibility through a CTB quality label.
The CTB has indicated that the program is still in the implementation phase. Audits are currently being conducted by the Product Department, and only after their completion will it become clear how many accommodations qualify for certification and when the official presentation of the quality mark will take place. As a result, no concrete figures on certified alternative accommodations are available yet.
To be eligible, properties must meet a set of minimum requirements, including the presence of basic amenities such as a kitchen or kitchenette, a bathroom and toilet, and a private entrance for each unit. Criteria related to safety, hygiene, customer service, and sustainable management are also part of the assessment.
The growing prominence of non-hotel accommodations highlights a shift in visitor preferences and reinforces the need for policy frameworks that reflect the changing structure of Curaçao’s tourism industry.