WILLEMSTAD – Public health emergencies are not only a threat to residents and visitors, but can also directly affect Curaçao’s economy, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) warned as the island begins implementing its new Tourism & Health Program.
CARPHA Executive Director Dr. Lisa Indar said strong public health systems are especially important for Caribbean countries that depend heavily on tourism.
Curaçao is the fourteenth Caribbean country to join the program. Within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sint Maarten is already participating.
According to Indar, thousands of families across the Caribbean depend on tourism for their income. Outbreaks of infectious diseases, natural disasters and other health emergencies can therefore quickly affect visitor arrivals, employment and economic activity.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how vulnerable tourism-dependent island economies can be when international travel is disrupted.
Through the Tourism & Health Program, Curaçao wants to strengthen cooperation between the health sector and tourism industry. Hotels, tour operators and other tourism businesses can participate in the system, while employees in the sector can receive training to recognize and report possible infectious diseases more quickly.
Secretary-General Sharlon Melfor of the Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature said the need for stronger surveillance is becoming more important as Curaçao receives increasing numbers of international visitors.
According to Curaçao Tourist Board figures cited during the introduction of the program, the island welcomed approximately 788,000 stayover visitors in 2025. Around 515,000 cruise passengers had also been recorded through June 2026.
For an island with approximately 158,000 residents, Melfor said such a large flow of international travelers also increases the possibility that infectious diseases can be introduced and spread locally.
Curaçao has already experienced situations illustrating that risk.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities had to respond after a tourist staying at a hotel tested positive for measles. More recently, measles was also detected in a crew member aboard a vessel arriving in Curaçao. The individual was isolated aboard the ship upon arrival.
CARPHA emphasizes that a strong health system is itself an important component of Curaçao’s tourism product.
Well-equipped hospitals, functioning laboratories, reliable disease surveillance and properly trained health professionals all contribute to maintaining Curaçao’s reputation as a safe and resilient destination.
The Tourism & Health Program is intended to improve the speed at which potential health threats are communicated between government authorities and tourism businesses.
Faster reporting should allow authorities to intervene earlier when signs of an infectious disease or another public health threat emerge.
According to CARPHA, that preparation is essential on small islands, where a relatively limited health incident can quickly develop into a wider crisis affecting both the healthcare system and one of the country’s most important economic sectors.