Willemstad, August 29, 2025 – The Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Association (CHATA) is deeply concerned about the devastating effects of yesterday’s island-wide blackout on the tourism sector. The disruption caused incredible financial losses to CHATA members, including hotels, apartment complexes, restaurants, tour operators, activity providers, and beach clubs.
This week, with all hotels at full occupancy for the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival and additional cruise ship arrivals on Wednesday, was expected to deliver one of the strongest economic impacts during the traditionally low season. Instead, what should have been a week of opportunity turned into a nightmare. To make matters worse, the blackout also affected WiFi networks, disrupting payment systems across the island and creating further chaos for visitors and businesses alike.
“Yesterday’s blackout caused irreparable harm to our members and to Curaçao’s image as a tourist destination,” said Anuschka Cova, CEO of CHATA. “Hotels had to run costly generators, restaurants lost perishable goods, guests were left without service, and many businesses were unable to process payments. This is not sustainable. We urgently need structural solutions to prevent future occurrences.”
CHATA stressed that if Curaçao is unable to withstand strong winds without suffering such an outage, it raises urgent concerns about preparedness for a tropical storm or, god forbid, a hurricane.
CHATA therefore calls for an urgent meeting with the Government of Curaçao and Aqualectra to discuss structural solutions to avoid a repeat of such situations. This meeting must take place immediately, as the matter cannot be postponed. Tourism businesses, representing nearly half of the island’s GDP, cannot afford the continued risk of blackouts.
Beyond economic losses, the island’s international reputation, visitor safety, and community confidence are at stake. If Curaçao cannot withstand strong winds without suffering a nationwide outage, what does this mean in the event of a tropical storm or hurricane? The urgency is clear — reliable energy solutions must be guaranteed.
CHATA calls on the government and Aqualectra to:
– Provide clear communication about the cause of the blackout and measures being implemented to avoid recurrence,
– Guarantee structural and reliable energy solutions to safeguard the tourism industry and economy.
The association emphasizes its readiness to work hand in hand with the government and stakeholders, but insists that guarantees and action are required immediately to protect the island’s most important economic pillar.
