WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao has welcomed more than 710,000 stayover visitors during the first ten months of 2026, placing the island on a strong footing as it enters the winter tourism season. The latest figures from the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) show that arrivals increased by 11 percent compared to the same period last year, with South American markets playing an increasingly important role in the island's tourism development.
Between January and October 2026, Curaçao recorded 710,538 stayover arrivals, compared to 642,158 during the corresponding period in 2025.
This represents an increase of 68,380 visitors in just ten months.
The growth was accompanied by approximately 5.8 million visitor nights, an increase of 10 percent compared to the previous year.
While the Netherlands and the United States remain Curaçao's two largest tourism markets, the latest figures demonstrate the growing contribution of Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and other countries in the region.
The Netherlands accounted for 218,227 visitors between January and October, representing 31 percent of total stayover arrivals.
The United States followed with 186,884 visitors, accounting for 26 percent.
Together, these two markets generated more than half of all stayover arrivals to Curaçao during the first ten months of the year.
Colombia ranked third with 49,625 visitors, representing 7 percent of the total.
Canada followed with 39,727 visitors, accounting for 6 percent, while Brazil contributed 36,338 arrivals, or 5 percent.
Argentina also emerged as an important source market, generating 32,837 visitors during the January-to-October period, equivalent to approximately 5 percent of total arrivals.
The increasing contribution of South American markets was particularly evident in October.
During that month, arrivals from South America increased by 26 percent compared to October 2025, making it the fastest-growing region in the latest report.
Colombia was one of the main contributors to that performance.
Curaçao welcomed 5,553 Colombian visitors in October, an increase of 23 percent compared to the same month last year.
Colombian tourists also stayed longer, with their average visit increasing from 5.1 nights in October 2025 to 5.8 nights in October 2026.
The figures suggest that Curaçao is attracting not only more visitors from Colombia but also longer visits from that market.
For Curaçao's tourism industry, diversification of source markets is important because it reduces dependence on a limited number of countries.
Historically, the Netherlands has been a dominant source of international visitors, while the United States has become increasingly significant in recent years.
The growing contribution of Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina adds another dimension to the island's tourism development.
However, continued expansion into additional markets also raises questions about air connectivity, accommodation capacity, transportation, and the ability of local businesses to benefit from increased visitor spending.
The October report also showed strong growth in cruise tourism.
Between January and October 2026, Curaçao welcomed 722,155 cruise passengers, representing a 12 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025.
In October alone, cruise arrivals reached 73,705 passengers, compared to 53,360 a year earlier.
The increase in both stayover and cruise visitors demonstrates the growing scale of Curaçao's tourism industry.
At the same time, the expansion reinforces the importance of managing tourism growth carefully to ensure that infrastructure and public services can accommodate increasing visitor numbers.
With two months remaining in 2026, Curaçao has already surpassed 700,000 stayover visitors for the year.
The island now enters the winter high season with strong demand from its established European and North American markets and increasing contributions from South America.
The latest figures indicate that Curaçao's tourism industry is continuing to expand, with a broader mix of international markets contributing to its performance.