Looking back at 2019: average hotel occupancy decreased while average daily rate and revenue per available room increased

Willemstad, 27 January 2020 – In comparison to 2018, the Curaçao hotel industry registered unchanged performancelevels during 2019. In fact, the average hotel occupancy in 2019 was 71.7%, which is a slight decrease of 0.5 percentage points if compared to the year before (72.2%). 
The top 3 most occupied months in 2019 were: February (84%), January (80,5%) and April (76,1%). Curaçao is considered a Caribbean paradise, making the winter months the high season, largely because travelers want to escape the cold weather of the north. As a consequence, tourism booms from mid-December through mid-April.
In terms of average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPar) an increase has been recorded. In 2018 the ADR was $152.64, which in 2019 increased to $158.51. This is an increase of $5.87, which translates into an increase of 3.8%. The three months with the highest ADR in 2019 are: January ($211.77), December ($188.37) and lastly February ($181.74). 
In 2019, the Curaçao hotel industry registered an average revenue per available room (RevPar) of $114.67, which is $3.80 more than in 2018 ($110.87). This is an increase of 3.4%. The top 3 months with the highest RevPAR were January ($170.56), February ($152.68) and December ($132.76). Remarkably, the aforementioned months are recurring in the top 3 of each category (occupancy, ADR & RevPAR). 
As mentioned, these are precisely the months known as the ‘high season’ in which there is a high demand for our island. As a result, daily rates are generally higher.
It is no secret that our tourism sector has experienced some positive developments. From the re-opening of the Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort, the all-inclusive Dreams Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino and the remodeling of the Renaissance Curaçao Resort & Casino, just to name a few, these are all definitely developments we can be proud of.
CHATA is pleased with the numerous developments in the sector and confirms the overall growth. However, it is important to continue investing in the creation of consumer demand and in air service connectivity to further the enhancement of our sector. It is safe to say that the high season (December 2018 – April 2019) started well. However, as we were nearing the end of 2019 a decrease in room inventory due to remodeling and/or renovations as well as a decrease in airlift, especially from the USA, affected the overall hotel performance. This clearly shows the importance of consistency in airlift to keep up with the demand for the destination. The above mentioned hotel performance figures are based on 12 -14 properties, which represents around 2500 rooms on the island. For more extended information on the figures mentioned above, kindly visit our website www.chata-data.com