WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao could see its accommodation capacity increase by nearly 60 percent by 2030 as 29 tourism developments representing more than $1.48 billion in private investment move through the development pipeline.
Figures presented by the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) show that 7,108 additional rooms have already been permitted across projects around the island.
If the projects materialize as anticipated, Curaçao’s accommodation inventory could reach approximately 19,480 rooms by 2030, compared with 12,372 rooms in 2025. That would represent an increase of 58 percent within five years.
CTB cautioned that the projections are based on a survey conducted among developers between December 2025 and February 2026 and that final room numbers remain subject to change.
The scale of the development comes as Curaçao continues to experience record tourism growth. The island received 578,814 stayover visitors through August 2026, 10 percent more than during the same period of 2025.
But CTB’s presentation also emphasized that continued tourism expansion must be balanced against the quality of life of Curaçao residents.
A 2025 survey conducted among 148 residents in Otrobanda, Piscadera Baai, Spaanse Water, Steenrijk and Westpunt produced a quality-of-life score of 3.75 out of five in relation to tourism. CTB interprets the result as showing that residents generally lean positively toward the sector.
The environmental impact of tourism, however, received the lowest score among the areas measured, at 3.42 out of five.
CTB identified employment, training opportunities and local income among the ways residents can benefit from tourism growth. Improvements to roads, safety, public services, beaches and conservation were also identified as potential community benefits.
At the same time, the Tourist Board recommends improving employee service and language skills, strengthening local supply chains and investing in reef and habitat conservation.
The pressure on Curaçao’s natural and public spaces is particularly relevant because visitor surveys show that beaches and the marine environment remain central to the island’s tourism product.
According to CTB's 2025 Exit Survey, 49 percent of stayover visitors went to beaches and 35 percent went snorkeling. Beach clubs were visited by 26 percent, while 20 percent participated in nature walks or hiking and 16 percent made a day trip to Klein Curaçao. CTB says the combined importance of beach and reef activities is one reason marine safety and conservation are priorities in 2026.
Willemstad is also receiving significant visitor traffic. Fifty-eight percent of stayover tourists visited downtown Punda, 55 percent visited the Willemstad World Heritage Site and 48 percent visited the Queen Emma Bridge. Otrobanda and Mambo Beach Boulevard were each visited by 47 percent.
CTB said maintaining heavily visited public areas has therefore become another priority.
The Tourist Board has already taken several measures in 2026, including installing recycling bins at Marie Pampoen, supporting waste collection during the Children’s Carnival Parade and reopening the renovated public restroom at the Punda ferry terminal.
Looking ahead, CTB says Curaçao should focus on what it describes as growing “demand, not arrivals”: attracting visitors who contribute greater value while distributing tourism more evenly across the island and throughout the year.
A five-year tourism master plan is also under development to guide future growth in consultation with communities and other stakeholders.