…Positive growth from The Netherlands and USA…
WILLEMSTAD – May 25th, 2018
January through April Visitor Arrivals 2018
During the first four months of 2018 a total of 60,525 Dutch visitors were welcomed. Last year in the same period 55,466 Dutch visitors were counted, an increase of 9%. From the United States of America the year to date growth is recorded at 10% counting a total of 23,326 US visitors from January through April 2018. Last year the same period recorded 21,209 stayover arrivals. Canada also performed well. Canada grew by recording 3% visitors, counting a total of 11,748 stayover arrivals in the first four months of 2018.
Curaçao welcomed in total 142,733 stayover visitors in the first four months of the year 2018, a slightly decrease of 1% during the same period in 2017. If we take the tourism count from Venezuela out of the total stayover arrivals we would have register 5% growth. This is a total of 6,600 more stayover arrivals.
The year to date stayover arrivals also shows a strong growth out of the focus markets.
A direct impact of $ 213.6 million US dollars is generated for the local economy in the first four months of 2018. 47% of the total direct impact is generated from European visitors who are responsible for $ 100.8 million US dollars. The direct economic impact from the remainder regions is as following: North America $ 58.8 million, South America $ 30.4 million and Caribbean/other regions $ 23.6 million.
April Visitor Arrivals 2018
Curaçao welcomed a total of 15,029 stayover visitors from the Netherlands in April 2018. An increase of 11% compared to April 2017. The Netherlands continues to be the leading country where 47% of our share from stayover arrivals is originating. The second main country in Europe is Germany. From Germany a 59% decrease is recorded. Last year most of the German visitors traveled during the Passover holiday to Curaçao, where this year we saw an increase in March. Not having direct service from Dusseldorf also impacts the German visitor to travel to Curaçao. Overall a total of 18,185 stayover visitors arrived from Europe. The share of visitors from this region continues to be the leading region with 56%.
CTB registered a total of 7,080 stayover visitors from North America in April 2018, ranking North America the second biggest contributor in visitor arrivals. Arrivals from Canada grew by 15% in April, bringing the total to 2,077 stayover visitors from Canada. From the United States of America an increase of 9% is registered in April 2018. In total 5,003 stayover visitors are registered. Last year we recorded 4,593 stayover arrivals from USA.
From Brazil we see growth recording 7% more visitors compared to last year. In total 715 Brazilian visitors travelled to Curaçao in April. Traffic from Suriname recorded 31% growth to a total of 808 stayover visitors from Suriname. The total stayover arrivals from South America dropped to 43%, bringing the total stayover arrivals from South America to 3,632 visitors.
In particular the total decrease of the region is the direct effect of 80% less Venezuelan visitors. Colombian visitors decreased in April recording 44% less visitors. The Colombian market is highly influenced by the Passover holiday where we saw double digit growth last month. The shift of the holiday weekend this year caused the difference in stayover arrivals from Colombia.
From our neighbor island Aruba a growth of 8% is registered. A total of 1,168 Aruban visitors travelled to Curaçao in April where the peak in arrivals is visible days before King’s Day festivities.
The overall stayover visitors decreased in April with 8% (721 visitors) to 32,310 compared to the same month in 2017. If the Venezuelan visitors are not included in the total arrivals the decrease would have been 2%. The decrease in stayover arrivals is also due to the fact that the Passover holiday fell in March this year, while last year this was in April.
