September is usually the Caribbean's quiet stretch, but Curaçao just posted its best September ever. The Dutch Caribbean island logged 63,565 stayover visitors last month, an 18% jump over the same month in 2025, according to figures from the Curaçao Tourist Board. It's another milestone in a year where arrivals have climbed every single month.
American travellers are driving much of the surge. Nearly 15,900 US visitors landed in September, up 20% year over year, making the States the island's second-biggest market after the Netherlands. Americans also spend the most: an average of $407 per person per day, more than double what Dutch visitors spend, and they tend to stay close to six nights, mostly at resort hotels. Through the first nine months of 2026, US arrivals hit almost 170,000 — about a quarter of all stayover visitors.
Cruise traffic is booming too. September brought 57,621 cruise passengers on 17 ship calls, a staggering 78% increase from the roughly 32,000 passengers the same month last year. Overall, the island has welcomed 642,379 stayover visitors and 648,450 cruise passengers so far in 2026, both up about 10-11%. Growth is broad-based: arrivals from the wider Caribbean rose 37%, South America 28%, and North America 23%, with Colombia, Canada, Brazil and Argentina among the top feeder markets.
So why are travellers flocking here? Curaçao pairs a distinctly Dutch Caribbean identity — think the pastel waterfront houses of Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage site — with the reliable sunshine of islands further south, outside the main hurricane belt. There's excellent snorkelling and diving, calm sheltered coves on the island's southern coast, and a hotel scene that keeps expanding, from the upscale Baoase Luxury Resort to the all-inclusive Sandals Royal Curaçao.
For anyone planning a Caribbean trip this winter, the numbers are a useful signal. Rising demand means the island is adding flights, resorts and restaurant options, but peak-season rooms in Willemstad and along the coast will book up faster. Consider shoulder months like May or late autumn for better rates, and look beyond the famous Mambo Beach area to the quieter west coast for a more local feel. With the island heading into high season on this kind of momentum, early booking is your friend.
