Caribbean Islands Urged to Attract Higher-Spending Tourists
Hans Hoogervorst says Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire should shift toward visitors who spend more as visitor numbers strain nature and roads.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Central America
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Hans Hoogervorst, chair of the Board of Financial Supervision (Cft), urged Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire to attract higher-spending tourists. Visitor numbers to the islands have grown sharply in recent years, and the growth is harming quality of life and the environment.
Why it matters
Rising visitor volume is putting pressure on nature and the road network on Curaçao, which has a high hotel occupancy rate and relatively cheap hotel prices. The islands also received tax advantages for hotels in the past, a factor that shapes the economics of the sector.
The statement is a qualitative assessment from Hans Hoogervorst, chair of the Cft, rather than a measured dataset, and no visitor totals or spending figures were provided. What remains unclear is the size of the visitor increase and how a shift toward higher-spending tourists would be implemented.
The players
Hans Hoogervorst
Hans Hoogervorst is the current chair of the Board of Financial Supervision (Cft), an independent body that oversees public finances in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Board of Financial Supervision (Cft)
The Cft is an independent body that oversees public finances in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The details
Hoogervorst made his remarks in an interview with RTL after visiting Curaçao in recent days. He pointed to the coronavirus period, when tourism collapsed and caused an enormous crisis on the islands, before the recent sharp rise in visitors.
Timeline
During the coronavirus period, tourism collapsed on the islands, causing an enormous crisis.
In recent years, visitor numbers to Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire grew sharply.
In recent days, Hoogervorst visited Curaçao before making his remarks.
Travel Outlook
The push for higher-spending visitors follows the collapse of tourism during the coronavirus period, which left the islands in a serious economic crisis. Visitor numbers have since rebounded and grown sharply, shifting the debate from recovery to managing strain on the islands.
Travelers planning trips to Curaçao, Aruba or Bonaire may find that the islands are shifting their focus toward visitors who spend more, which could affect how they plan lodging and activities. Those who visit should be aware that rising visitor volume is straining roads and nature on the islands.
The takeaway
Growing visitor numbers are testing how much tourism Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire can absorb without damaging nature, roads and residents' quality of life. Shifting toward higher-spending visitors is one path officials are now weighing.
Further reading
For more on destinations in the region, see Central America.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NL Times.
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