Bonaire, an idyllic island in the Leeward Antilles, a special municipality of the Netherlands located off Venezuela's coast in the southern Caribbean, well known throughout the global diving community for its world - class reef system, considered one of the healthiest in the region, highlighted by pristine beaches, a lushing tropical natural and a vibrant culture is experiencing a remarkable growth in tourist arrivals.
Tourism sector in Bonaire saw a very significant increase in May. With a 13.9% year over - year rise in tourism arrivals according to new data from Tourism Corporation Bonaire obtained by Caribbean Journal, a notable gain driven largely by strong markets in Europe and North America.
In May 2025 the Caribbean island welcomed 14.962 stayover visitors compared to 13.133 in the same month of last year and this growth was largely driven by very relevant visitor numbers from key markets like the Netherlands and the United States of America.
Dutch travellers once again led the ranking accounting for 41.9% of all visitors with a total of 6.263 The United States followed with 4.639 visitors, or 31% of total arrivals, visitors from Curaçao represented 14.4% of the total with 2.151 travellers, followed by Aruba, Germany, Belgium and Canada.
One of the biggest reasosn for Bonaire's continued growth is the strong and constant presence of Dutch visitors highlighted by the deep cultural connection between Bonaire and the Netherlands, underscoring the islands's allure for Dutch tourists seeking both relaxation and adventure in the Caribbean in one of its overseas territories and notable tourism campaigns and promotions by Bonaire Tourism Board in the European country.
Dutch travellers primarily arrived with a partner, with vacation cited as the leading reason for travel, followed by visiting friends and relatives. Hotel stays accounted for nearly half of all Dutch accommodations with apartments, villas and private homes rounding out the rest.
Most Dutch visitors came from North Holland, South Holland, North Brabant, Gelderland, and Utrecht. The two largest demographic segments were 55 - 64 and 25 -34.
The latest numbers underscore Bonaire's continued appeal among diving enthusiasts, leisure travellers, and repeat visitors from the Netherlands, its largest long - haul market, it's a continued tourism renaissance for the tiny Dutch Caribbean island.
The increase of the US visitors is not a secret : the JetBlue service between New York and Bonaire's Flamingo Airport, which has fares right now for US$470 right now, roundtrip.
For U.S. travellers, vacation and diving were the top motivators to visit Bonaire. 48% cited leisure, while 38.6% listed diving as thei primary reason for visiting.
Most American tourists stayed in hotels, while others opted for villas, apartments and private homes and the leading source states are California, Colorado, Florida, New York and Texas.
The typical U.S. visitor to Bonaire in May was part of a couple, or a solo traveller, with mature age groups dominating, 22.3% were between 55 and 64, and 18.3% were 65 or older.
Bonaire’ s tourism outlook is generally positive, with strong growth in visitor numbers and efforts to diversify the tourism product and attract new markets. The Caribbean island is also seeing growth in premium travellers and longer stays, indicating a shift in the type of visitor.
Link
https://www.caribjournal.com/2025/06/15/bonaire-tourism-growth-dutch-us/
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