BONHATA at the Bonaire Tourism Summit 2026
On September 24, BONHATA took part in the Annual Bonaire Tourism Summit 2026, contributing the perspective of Bonaireโs accommodation sector to the discussion about the future of tourism on our island.
Organized by Tourism Corporation Bonaire under the theme โEverything Is Connected,โ the Summit brought together tourism professionals, government representatives, industry partners and international experts to exchange insights on the developments shaping Bonaireโs tourism sector.
BONHATA CEO Veroesjka de Windt contributed to the program with a presentation connecting Bonaireโs tourism direction with current accommodation performance, changes in the visitor mix, market development and air connectivity.
At the center of her contribution was an important message: the decisions and actions taken today influence the tourism results we see in the years ahead.
From direction to action
Over the years, Bonaire has established a clear direction for tourism and adapted its plans as circumstances changed. However, translating these ambitions into action and maintaining continuity remain important.
This is particularly relevant for decisions related to market development and air connectivity. These decisions take time to translate into results, making a longer-term perspective essential when looking at Bonaireโs tourism performance.
A changing visitor mix
Year-to-date stayover arrivals through August remained relatively stable compared with 2025, but the composition of those arrivals changed.
The U.S. market declined, while the Netherlands grew to represent a larger share of Bonaireโs arrivals. The Netherlands remains an important market for Bonaire, but the shift also highlights the importance of maintaining a more balanced visitor mix.
Strengthening North America and developing opportunities in other markets, including South America, can complement the Dutch market and contribute to a broader market base.
Looking beyond arrival numbers
Accommodation performance provides another important perspective on how the tourism sector is performing.
While overall stayover arrivals have remained relatively stable, accommodation occupancy has been under pressure in 2026. Higher room rates initially helped offset softer occupancy, but more recent performance shows the limits of relying on rates alone.
Looking at occupancy, room rates and revenue alongside visitor arrivals therefore provides a more complete picture of current accommodation performance.
Decisions today shape the years ahead
Market development and air connectivity require time before their full impact becomes visible. Much of 2027 is already taking shape when it comes to available airline capacity.
Market development undertaken today can help strengthen demand for that capacity, while decisions on additional air connectivity can take longer to translate into results. This makes the decisions and actions taken now particularly relevant when looking toward 2028 and beyond.
For Bonaire, this means maintaining strong existing markets while continuing to strengthen a more balanced visitor mix and demand for the tourism capacity already available on the island.
Everything is connected
Tourism strategy, market development, air connectivity and accommodation performance do not operate separately. Decisions in one area influence results in another, often over several years.
This reinforces the importance of continued dialogue and collaboration between the public and private sectors, and of turning an established direction into action.
The direction has been set. The focus now is on action.
Thank you to Tourism Corporation Bonaire for bringing the sector together and creating space for these important discussions about the future of tourism on Bonaire.