The stopover tourist arrival numbers (that is visitors staying 24 hours or more) for year to date April have been published for a good number of Caribbean destinations and airports, with Curaçao being one.
Of 18 destinations we track 11 have published their numbers through April with a further six publishing their numbers through March.
Of the 18 destinations just over half (10 of 18) have received more visitors in 2023 than they did in the same months of 2019 showing how strong the recovery of Caribbean tourism has been.
The leading destinations are San Juan, Puerto Rico which has seen 26% more arrivals at its airport in the first four months of 2023 than it did in the same four months of 2019. The USVI has seen 23.7% more air arrivals while Cancun Airport has seen 23.2% more international air arrivals. The Dominican Republic has also seen a strong recovery receiving 12.0% more visitors in the first four months of 2023 than it did in the same four months of 2019. Aruba has seen 7.1% more arrivals in the first four months of 2023 than it did in the same four months of 2019.
The overall average for all 18 destinations was a 10.3% increase in arrivals comparing 2023 with 2019.
Curaçao has seen a 10.5% increase in stopovers in the first four months of 2023 compared with the same four months of 2019, performing at almost exactly the same pace as the overall average growth rate.
Some Caribbean countries are still struggling to recover their 2019 numbers with the worst performer being Cuba which, through the first four months of 2023, had only recovered 51% of its 2019 numbers while Barbados had recovered 77.4% of its 2019 numbers and The Bahamas recovering 88.4% of its 2019 tourist arrivals.
Globally the UNWTO reported on May 10th that international tourist arrivals had reached 80% of 2019 levels in the first quarter of 2023 boosted by strong results in Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.