Economical Viewpoint

Economic Value of Diving on Curacao

The Curacao Coral Reef is more valuable than you might think. According to the annual report of the Curacao Tourism Board (C.T.B.), visiting scuba divers contributed nearly $10 million (U.S.) to the island’s economy in 2001. Using data collected from Curacao’s dive operators and surveys of their guests, the C.T.B. estimated 10'662 divers, most from Europe and North America, spent more than $9,500,000 while visiting Curacao in 2001.

According to the C.T.B. report, most divers who visit Curacao come from 4 countries — the Netherlands, the United States of America, Belgium and Germany. US divers were in the majority, 44% of the total. Next were divers from the Netherlands, then the Germans and Belgians. The remaining dive tourists come from Canada, Latin America and other European countries. The expenditures of local divers and those renting or borrowing dive equipment for there own use were not measured.

American divers are visiting Curacao in numbers growing faster than any other nation: from 2'702 in 1997 up to 4'691 of total divers in 2001. Despite the small decrease in the number of divers visiting from The Netherlands, the total number of divers traveling here is expected to get a big boost in 2003 and 2004 as new dive operations with boats and other attractive facilities plus activities set-up shop on Curacao.

Growth in Curacao’s dive tourism will bring benefits to more than just the islands’ dive operators. According to the C.T.B., visiting divers spend more money on non-diving needs than they do to get underwater. Approximately 32% of a divers’ vacation dollars go for accommodations. Food and beverages account for the second biggest chunk of expenditures, about 28%. Shopping, transportation and diving itself account for roughly equal portions of the rest.

In 2001, the C.T.B. report showed overall characteristics of divers:

Based on the Curacao Stay Over Expenditure Survey of 1999, on average divers stay for about 6.8 nights and spend $91.70 per day. So, visiting stay over scuba divers contribute to approximately $9.5 million during their visit on Curacao.

Divers visiting Curacao are typically between 29 and 35 years old. The male to female ration is 2 to 1. Group travel increased in 2001 and also couples traveling increase in 2001 compared to 2000, whilst 42% of all divers visiting Curacao traveled as part of a group. One forth of all divers to Curacao chooses to come here in order to obtain a divers certificate or choose to do so while on vacation on the island. Repeat visit to Curacao vary by level of experience and country of origin. The most important source of information in regards for Curacao are friends and family, Travel Agents and the Internet. One forth of all divers visits other destinations on the same trip to Curacao, especially Bonaire, Aruba and Venezuela. The majority of divers stays in a hotel (50%), the use of apartments remained in the overall at the same level compared to 2000. However more often divers choose to stay with family and friends while on Curacao.

If Curacao’s Coral Reef is protected, there is strong evidence even more divers can be enticed to visit. Nearby Bonaire has already shown how profitable tough reef preservation laws, sustainable development and dive tourism promotion can be. In 2001, over 25'000 divers visited Bonaire and spent roughly $32 million dollars doing it. Curacao has more miles of coral reef than its smaller neighbor. What Curacaoans need to do is helping one another recognize these reefs as the rare, valuable, sustainable economic resource they have already proven to be.