It was only a few years in the past that the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao was a bit off the radar of American vacationers. Arrivals from the US paled compared to these from the island’s conventional stronghold in The Netherlands.
Now, nearly three years after the arrival of Sandals in the summertime of 2022, the watershed within the historical past of the island’s tourism, Curacao is changing into a real hotspot for American vacationers.
After a record-breaking 2024, Curacao arrivals proceed to surge, with 73,289 guests in January — a large 20 p.c enhance over the identical month final yr.
That included a very scorching 30 p.c enhance in arrivals from america, with 17,708 guests — which represented a soar of 13,604 arrivals.
The island has extra airlift from the US than ever, together with the numerous return of Delta to the island on the finish of 2023 (after a years-long hiatus) and a still-increasing pipeline of resorts.
That features the just-opened hotel-within-a-hotel on the Goals Curacao (the place commonplace rooms begin at $1038 per evening) and new resorts just like the Rif all-inclusive close to Willemstad, with rooms at $318 per evening in March, in keeping with Google Accommodations.
We’ve visited Curacao numerous instances, and American’s new love affair with Curacao is not any shock — even earlier than the arrival of Sandals, it was a hip, cosmopolitan, pleasant vacation spot that simply wanted a little bit of an additional highlight, with a lift from the “Sandals Impact.” Now, US guests are getting the purpose.
