Following the pattern set by one other 11 Caribbean islands, the Dutch island of Aruba has simply damaged all tourism information within the first half of 2024.
With a stupendous improve of 19 % over the identical interval final yr, Queen Beatrix Worldwide Airport (AUA) welcomed 803,287 passengers from January to June, a determine by no means seen earlier than on the island, in response to the most recent report.
To nobody’s shock, Individuals proceed to guide Aruba’s main source market with 73 % of tourists. The second and third spots had been taken by Canadians and Colombians, respectively.
Information counsel that latest political strikes and advertising campaigns to draw guests from different latitudes have began to repay.
In 2024, Aruba has continued its growth throughout Latin America with new direct flights from Lima, Peru.
As of right this moment, the island boasts three hubs on this market: Bogota, Colombia, with Avianca; and Panama, with Copa Airways.
“We now have been actively pursuing a diversification technique. This second is a testomony to the onerous work on the island and by our group in Latin America,” stated Ronella Croes, CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority.
At the moment, the vacation spot hosts 26 airways which have managed to function 14,000 profitable flights within the first half. In 2025, Aruba will open a brand new US departure hub.
Probably the most profitable methods carried out to lure recent worldwide vacationers has been the brand-new visa-free entry coverage for quite a few nationalities.
This simplified journey course of has benefited clients from over 70 international locations and territories, together with the entire Schengen Space, the UK, Canada and Eire.
By widening the scope of its visa-free coverage, Aruba seeks to place “The One Completely happy Island” as a extremely interesting vacation spot to the worldwide market.
Because it was talked about earlier than, Aruba is just not the one Caribbean vacation spot experiencing a skyrocketing improve in vacationers from all around the world.
A minimum of 11 islands have surpassed their benchmark numbers of 2019. A few of them embrace Jamaica, Curacao, Bonaire, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Antigua and Barbuda, and the Cayman Islands.
A few of these locations haven’t solely surpassed the numbers obtained earlier than the pandemic however have additionally damaged historic information this yr.
Such is the case of the Dominican Republic, which set an all-time report for your complete Caribbean with greater than 10 million guests amongst air vacationers and cruise passengers in 2023.
“Reaching 10 million vacationers between air and cruise ships is a truth that ought to fill your complete nation with delight, no matter political flags, since all these guests are associates of the nation who contribute to the event and employment within the countryside and the assist of the productive equipment of the nation,” stated Minister of Tourism David Collado.
