For travel advisors, the influx of all-inclusive inventory in Curacao presents an opportunity to offer clients something new.
According to Dream Vacations franchise owner Jackie Vernon, who was one of several advisors who attended a Mangrove Beach Corendon Curacao All-Inclusive Resort, Curio by Hilton fam trip this past September, the island can be a great fit for clients looking for a Caribbean destination that's a bit more "unique and undiscovered" and who are able to embrace the fact that "things may be geared a bit more toward European clientele."
One major draw, Vernon added, is the fact that Curacao sits outside the hurricane belt. (Local tour guides report that the last major hurricane to directly hit Curacao happened in 1877.)
Luann Lamoureax, owner of Dreams Vacations franchise Compass Travel, also said she viewed Curacao as a good option for clients concerned about sargassum, which has continued to be a major issue across other popular vacation destinations, including Mexico.
And because Curacao is so far south, there is little to no sargassum, she said.
Additionally, when posting about the fam on social media, Lamoureux reported that the content she shared piqued more curiosity than usual.
"I got a lot more feedback that went beyond [comments like], 'That looks fun,'" said Lamoureux. "Instead, I got more questions about where I was, and what it's like here."
CORRECTION: This report has been updated to correct the spelling of Luann Lamoureux's name. In addition, a comment about sargassum in Curacao was modified.