The Minister of Tourism Dangui Oduber is very satisfied with the tourism results of the year 2023. All figures presented by ATA, Triple A, APA, AHATA, and CBA confirm that 2023 was the best year in the history of Aruba’s tourism.
According to the Minister, this is something unprecedented. The year 2023 is expected to close strongly, and the indicators measuring tourism results have confirmed his expectations.
At the beginning of the year, the goal of the Ministry of Tourism was to ensure that the recovery of tourism continues and surpasses the results of the strong year 2019.
Minister Oduber explains that his management is based on:
Bringing in affluent and quality tourists
Diversifying tourism
Making continuous investments in improving Aruba’s products
He is extremely pleased to see how this management has been executed and reflected in the results of the year 2023.
Indicators from the Aruba Tourism Authority
In 2023, Aruba received 1,243,554 stayover tourists. This represents an 11.1% growth compared to the year 2019. Remarkably, the growth was recorded from the primary market, which is the American market.
This market recorded a growth of 13.3% in 2023 compared to 2019. Another important note to mention is that in 2023, tourists stayed longer in Aruba and also spent more money. The guest satisfaction index, which measures tourists’ experience in Aruba, scored 9.0.
Triple A Indicators
In 2023, the Aruba Airport experienced an impressive growth of 13% in passenger traffic compared to 2022, achieving a recovery 8% higher than the 2019 figures and reaching a new achievement of 1,368,129 departing passengers. These tourists generated substantial revenue for Aruba.
These impressive figures establish Aruba’s airport as a leader in the region for the aviation industry.
APA Indicators
Cruise tourism is no exception, as Aruba surpassed projections here as well. By the end of 2023, Aruba received a total of 817,670 cruise tourists, compared to 610,474 cruise tourists in 2022. This represented a 33.9% recovery compared to 2019.
AHATA Indicators
Aruba measures the success of its tourism in the performance of hotels on the island. AHATA shared the results of 2023, indicating that indicators measuring the quality of tourists, such as REVPAR (revenue per available room) and ADR (average daily rate), showed impressive growth.
The REVPAR for 2023 was $266.08, representing a 14.7% growth compared to 2022 and ranking among the highest in the entire Caribbean. Not only did REVPAR register a significant increase, but ADR also saw growth.
The ADR for 2023 was $341.12, representing a 10.4% growth compared to 2022. These two indicators confirm that the strategy of attracting affluent tourists has yielded results, and high-quality tourists came to Aruba in 2023, as intended.
Another indicator measured by AHATA is the occupancy rate, which was 78% in 2023.
CBA Indicators
The most important indicator for measuring the quality of tourists coming to Aruba is the tourism credits measured by the Central Bank of Aruba.
The Central Bank measured this from Q1-Q3 of 2023, and tourism credits showed a robust growth of 15%. In the first quarter of 2023, tourism credits reached 3.4 billion florins, and the projection is that 2023 will close with tourism credits of 4.9 billion florins. This once again confirms the excellent quality of tourists coming to Aruba in 2023.
Considering the final figures of 2023, it can be concluded that not only are high-quality tourists coming to Aruba, but they are also spending a significant amount of money in our economy, confirming that the strategy is producing results.
“With great satisfaction and pride, we can say that 2023 was the best year in the history of our country’s tourism. All indicators for measuring tourism confirm this,” said Minister Dangui Oduber.
He thanks all partners and everyone working in the tourism industry. These individuals contribute to Aruba surpassing all expectations in its recovery. “Thanks to the resilient people who have shown to be resilient, let’s continue to demonstrate our friendliness and hospitality to our visitors, as we are known for. Tourism remains the main driver of our economy, creating jobs, income, and economic spinoffs.
