Curaçao Surges to #1 Trending Caribbean Destination in 2025—Flights, Deals & Must-See Spots

Curaçao is closing out the summer with a surge in visitor demand, fresh airlift and a landmark sustainability roadmap—positioning the Dutch-Caribbean island as one of 2025’s fastest‐growing destinations. Tourism momentum The Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) reports the island welcomed almost 59,000 stay-over visitors in May, a 9 percent year-over-year increase, keeping the destination on track to surpass last year’s record 700,000 arrivals. CTB credits the growth to strategic promotions in the U.S., Colombia and the ABC Islands as well as an expanded calendar of cultural events such as the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival and the street-art-driven Kaya Kaya community fair, both slated for late August and early September. New nonstop jet service Travel to Curaçao will get even easier on 14 July when locally based carrier Z Air launches thrice-weekly Embraer 140 jet flights between Willemstad (CUR) and St. Maarten (SXM). Introductory round-trip fares start at US $410 including taxes, cutting the island-hopping journey to just 75 minutes and adding 300 weekly seats to Curaçao’s airlift portfolio. The route complements recent capacity gains from JetBlue, American and Avianca, creating more one-stop itineraries from North America and South America. Sustainable growth strategy Amid the visitor boom, Curaçao is rolling out a Destination Carrying Capacity Study in partnership with Sustainable Travel International and George Washington University. The multi-year project will measure economic impact, ecological health and community sentiment to ensure tourism expansion remains “high-value, low-impact,” according to Sustainable Travel International CEO Paloma Zapata. The study’s metrics—ranging from coral-reef vitality to resident quality-of-life indices—will guide zoning, cruise‐ship scheduling and infrastructure investment through 2030. What it means for visitors • Greater flight availability: Curacao Airport Partners projects total seat capacity to rise 12 percent in the second half of 2025, translating to more competitive fares from Miami, New York, Bogotá and now St. Maarten. • Crowd-free experiences: The carrying-capacity framework caps daily visitors at top sites such as Playa Kenepa Grande and Shete Boka National Park, preserving the uncrowded vibe that differentiates Curaçao from busier Caribbean hubs. • Green initiatives: Hotels are adopting reef-safe sunscreen programs, while dive operators participate in weekly coral-restoration dives backed by the CTB’s “Dushi & Sustainable” campaign. Hotel and cruise pipeline The island’s room inventory will expand by nearly 900 keys over the next 18 months with the opening of the 300-room Wyndham Grand Curaçao at Rif Fort and Sandals Royal Curaçao’s 200-room Awa Awa tower. On the cruise side, Curaçao Ports Authority reports that Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class ships will home-port in Willemstad for select southern-Caribbean itineraries beginning winter 2026, reinforcing year-round visitation. Tips for planning a 2025 trip • Book flights at least eight weeks out; Hopper data show Curaçao fares bottoming out 50–60 days before departure. • Secure hotel rooms during major events—Kaya Kaya Festival (23 Aug) and North Sea Jazz Festival (29 – 31 Aug)—as occupancy regularly exceeds 90 percent. • Rent a car to explore Westpunt’s secluded beaches and the UNESCO-listed pastel waterfront in downtown Willemstad. With fresh jet service, a packed festival lineup and a science-based sustainability blueprint, Curaçao offers travelers a rare mix of easy access and authentic Caribbean culture—making now the ideal moment to lock in a “Dushi Korsou” getaway before the secret gets out.