WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao’s tourism industry continued its strong expansion during the first eight months of 2026, recording 578,814 stayover visitors, an increase of 10 percent compared with the same period last year.
The latest figures were presented by the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) during the State of the Tourism Industry press conference. Combined with cruise passengers and day trippers, Curaçao received nearly 1.19 million visitors between January and August.
The results continue several years of rapid tourism growth. Curaçao welcomed 700,249 stayover visitors in 2024, followed by a record 788,427 in 2025, representing growth of 13 percent. Through August of this year, the island had already received 578,814 stayover visitors.
Monthly figures show particularly strong arrivals during the first part of 2026. January recorded 79,387 stayover visitors, followed by 74,589 in February and 79,763 in March. April registered 75,331 arrivals, while May received 65,145 and June 62,869. July rose again to 75,368, followed by 66,187 in August.
The Netherlands remains Curaçao’s largest tourism market, accounting for 177,610 stayover visitors through August, or 31 percent of the total. That represents growth of 5 percent compared with the same period last year.
The United States is rapidly closing the gap, however. Curaçao welcomed 153,838 visitors from the U.S., representing 27 percent of stayover arrivals and year-on-year growth of 7 percent.
Some of the strongest growth is now coming from markets outside Curaçao’s traditional two largest sources.
Argentina recorded 27,220 visitors, an extraordinary increase of 75 percent. Canada grew 34 percent to 35,024 visitors, while Brazil increased 11 percent to 29,405 and Colombia grew 10 percent to 39,335 visitors.
The Caribbean market was the exception, declining 4 percent to 28,019 stayover arrivals.
According to CTB, the increasing diversification of Curaçao’s tourism markets is helping fill more of the calendar while reducing the island’s dependence on any single source market.
The presentation also offered new insight into how much visitors from different countries spend.
Americans spend the most per person per day, averaging $407, although their average stay of six nights results in total spending of approximately $2,442 per trip. Brazilian visitors spend an average of $400 per day and $2,684 per trip.
Canadian tourists generate the highest spending per trip among the markets examined. With average daily spending of $334 and an average stay of 8.6 nights, Canadians spend approximately $2,872 per person per visit.
Dutch visitors present a different pattern. They spend considerably less per day, averaging $206, but remain on Curaçao for an average of 12.2 nights. Their total expenditure consequently reaches approximately $2,505 per trip, slightly more than the average American visitor.
CTB says its strategy is increasingly focused not simply on increasing visitor numbers, but on attracting visitors who generate greater economic value while spreading tourism activity across the year and across different parts of the island.