Three announcements from Dive Travel Curaçao ahead of the 50th anniversary DEMA Show give divers more reasons, and more ways, to plan a Curaçao dive holiday
Divers mapping out their 2027 travel have three new reasons to look at Curaçao. A five-star dive resort is opening on the island’s west coast, Curaçao’s flagship dive operator and dive resort have been recognised again by Scuba Diving readers, and the free 2027 Curaçao Dive Vacation Guide is now available to read online.
The news arrives as the global dive industry prepares for DEMA Show 2026, the 50th anniversary edition of the world’s largest trade-only dive show, running 3–6 November at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Show season is when resort and dive rates for the following year firm up and when dive clubs build their group trips, which makes it the practical starting point for planning a 2027 holiday.
“Most divers will never walk the DEMA Show floor, and they shouldn’t need to,” said Bryan Horne, Founder and Managing Director of Dive Travel Curaçao. “What matters is what comes out of it: confirmed rates, new packages and partners you can trust. This year Curaçao has a lot to show for it.”
TUI BLUE Curaçao: All-Inclusive Meets West-Coast Diving
TUI BLUE Curaçao welcomes its first guests on 20 October 2026, with an official opening on 1 November. The five-star all-inclusive resort sits at Groot Santa Martha on the quieter west coast, on the site of the former Coral Cliff Hotel, about 24 km from the airport.
For divers, the key detail is the dive partner. Ocean Encounters runs daily boat diving to the west-coast sites closest to the resort, and complimentary kayaks and stand-up paddleboards make Santa Martha Bay easy to explore between dives. It is a strong fit for couples and families where not everyone dives, and Dive Travel Curaçao is now booking all-inclusive Sleep & Dive packages. Holidays booked through the partnership also support coral restoration by Reef Renewal Foundation Curaçao.
Award Wins Voted for by Divers
The 2027 Scuba Diving Readers’ Choice Awards are decided by divers rating places they have personally visited, which is why the results carry weight. Ocean Encounters, Curaçao’s flagship PADI 5 Star operation, placed in seven categories, including 3rd for Quality of Rental Gear and Top 5 for Quality of Training/Courses and Quality of Dive Boats. LionsDive Beach Resort placed in six, taking 2nd for Quality of the Resort and Top 5 for Quality of Rooms. The destination rankings are due to be announced at the show in early November.
Those results follow the 2026 awards, in which Curaçao ranked among the Top 10 Best Overall Dive Vacation Destinations in the Caribbean and Greater Atlantic Region and in the Top 10 for Health of the Marine Environment. The island was also named Caribbean Dive Destination of the Year at the Caribbean Travel Awards.
The 2027 Curaçao Dive Vacation Guide
For divers starting from scratch, the 2027 Curaçao Dive Vacation Guide is free to read online. It covers more than 70 dive and snorkel sites, the island’s 365-day diving conditions, the leading dive resorts and the insider planning tips Dive Travel Curaçao shares with its own clients.
Why Divers Keep Choosing Curaçao
Curaçao sits outside the hurricane belt, so diving runs year-round. Roughly 38 of its 70-plus sites are accessible from shore, which makes independent shore diving one of the island’s great freedoms. Sleep, Drive & Dive packages add a rental vehicle so you can dive the whole coastline on your own schedule, while Sleep & Dive packages pair accommodation with boat diving for those who would rather have everything arranged.
Above the waterline, UNESCO-listed Willemstad, a distinctive Dutch-Caribbean food scene, national parks and beaches make Curaçao work for divers travelling with non-diving partners. Bonaire, the shore diving capital of the world, is a short hop away for anyone wanting a two-island itinerary.
“The pairing matters more than the star rating,” said Horne. “A shore diver who books an all-inclusive on the wrong coast has bought the wrong holiday. Our job is to match the resort, the dive operation and the transport to how you actually like to dive.”
Show-season offers from Curaçao’s resorts and dive operators typically carry booking deadlines and blackout dates, so divers considering 2027 are encouraged to start planning early.
Read the Full Story
Find out why DEMA Show 2026 matters for Curaçao, meet the island’s dive operators and resorts, and see how a decade of collaboration built one of the Caribbean’s most-awarded dive destinations at https://www.divecuracao.info/international-dive-shows/dema-show/
To request a tailor-made Curaçao or Bonaire dive holiday, email reservations@divecuracao.info with your travel dates, group size and certification levels.
About Dive Travel Curaçao
Dive Travel Curaçao is a premium dive travel consultancy based in Willemstad, specialising in tailor-made scuba diving and snorkelling vacations to Curaçao and Bonaire. Founded by Bryan Horne, who has worked in Curaçao’s dive tourism industry for 20 years, the company handles accommodation, boat and shore diving, vehicles and activities end to end through partnerships with the island’s leading resorts, dive operators and conservation organisations.
