Hoogervorst urges Dutch Caribbean islands to prioritise higher-value tourism

Former Dutch minister Hans Hoogervorst has urged Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire to steer tourism towards greater value rather than simply more visitors, arguing that rapid growth is adding pressure to the islands’ environment and residents’ quality of life.

Hoogervorst, now chair of the financial supervision boards for the Dutch Caribbean islands, said Curaçao’s tourism boom was visible in demographic change linked to foreign workers, strain on nature and pressure on the road network. He said the island had high hotel occupancy but remained relatively inexpensive, and called for a closer review of tax advantages previously given to hotels, including withdrawing some of them.

The islands had seen impressive tourism growth and a favourable economic trend in recent years after the collapse in travel during the Covid pandemic, Hoogervorst said. But, he argued, governments should guide tourism rather than leave its development to private businesses, to help keep the islands liveable.

For Aruba, he said, the limits of growth were already being felt. He argued that attracting more visitors would increase pressure on the island, while focusing on spending per visitor and diversifying the economy could help close the gap between tourism growth and wider prosperity.

Hoogervorst made the comments after visiting the islands in recent days. He has chaired the financial supervision boards since 1 February 2026 and served as a Dutch minister from 2002 to 2007.