KRALENDIJK – The growth of tourism in Bonaire shows signs of stagnation, with 11,191 visitors in August 2023 compared to 11,582 in the same month the previous year. A decrease in airline capacity and changes in aircraft type by KLM are among the reasons. The majority of visitors continue to come from the Netherlands and the US.
The preliminary figures for August 2023 reveal a decline compared to August 2022 and the 11,900 visitors in August 2019. Particularly, the aviation sector faced challenges; KLM switched their Boeing 777 aircraft for Airbus planes, and seat availability on flights between the ABC islands has become more limited.
Dutch nationals made up the majority of tourists with 5,760 visitors, accounting for 51.5% of the total. The US followed with 21% of the stay-over visitors, amounting to 2,354 individuals. Curaçao remains a key source of tourists, making up 14.3% of the total. Other countries that significantly contributed to tourism include Canada, Germany, Aruba, Belgium, Switzerland, Colombia, and the UK. Germany, with 207 visitors in August, emerged as a notably strong market.
The most popular age group among visitors is between 45 and 54 years. This highlights that Bonaire is particularly attractive for middle-aged travelers seeking a diverse range of experiences on their vacation. Among American visitors, most hail from states such as Florida, California, and Texas. Dutch tourists predominantly come from the northern and southern regions, with a focus on Noord-Brabant.
In July 2023, cruise tourism provided an additional boost to tourism. Thanks to the docking of three cruise ships, 14,732 cruise visitors graced Bonaire with their presence.
