Curaçao's Luxury Chess Move: New Resorts Take on Caribbean Tourism Giants

Curaçao is making a bold play for the luxury tourism market, announcing two new high-end properties that could reshape the island's place in the Caribbean hospitality landscape.

TUI BLUE Curaçao, a new development on the island's western coast near Groot Santa Martha, and the Pyrmont Hotel Curaçao — a 300-room adults-only Marriott Autograph Collection property in Willemstad's historic Pietermaai district — represent a significant upgrade in the island's accommodation offerings.

For years, Curaçao has been seen as a secondary Caribbean destination, overshadowed by neighbours like Aruba and Barbados. These new developments signal a shift in strategy, as the island positions itself to compete with the region's tourism heavyweights.

The TUI BLUE property will focus on the European market, offering a familiar brand experience for travellers from the Netherlands and beyond. The Pyrmont Hotel, meanwhile, will target the North American luxury traveller with its Marriott affiliation and prime location in the capital's revitalised historic quarter.

Together, the two resorts represent hundreds of millions of dollars in investment and the creation of thousands of jobs. For Curaçao, it's a bet that the island's unique Dutch-Caribbean culture and world-class diving can compete with the best the region has to offer.

This is Sharon Sahatoo for Global1 News, reporting from Couva, Trinidad. 🇹🇹