Despite two challenging years, the island of Aruba continues to prosper in the Caribbean holiday market as UK visitor figures rose by 2.5 per cent in 2022 compared to the pre-covid levels of 2019.

Official statistics just released show UK numbers grew by more than two per cent in 2022, topping the 11,000 mark. In addition to the 11,149 UK visitors, there was a 7.7 per cent growth from The Netherlands and the island overall received over 1 million arrivals, just 1.6 per cent down on 2019.

The Aruba Tourism Authority's UK Manager Joanna Walding commented: 'We are delighted that Aruba continues to appeal so strongly to the UK market. We have had great support from airlines and the UK travel trade which, combined with Aruba's natural appeal and the high standards of hotels and customer service on the island, clearly provides the right formula for attracting growing numbers of tourists.'

Confidence is high that the destination will continue to develop its appeal to the UK market in 2023, helped by the news that British Airways will start flying direct to Aruba from March 26, on a year-round basis. This will be a twice weekly service tagged with Antigua.  They will operate the route with a 336 seat Boeing 777-200, offering a range of accommodation choices via British Airways Holidays.

For more information about Aruba, go to www.aruba.com

Note to editors: Aruba lies 15 miles north of the South American coastline, benefitting from year-round sunshine, an average temperature of 32 degrees and a cooling breeze. With a nine mile stretch of award-winning pristine beach, turquoise seas, colonial Dutch architecture and a Latin vibe, Aruba is a delightful alternative Caribbean experience. With major international brand name resorts, as well as smaller boutique accommodation, Aruba offers a vibrant nightlife, as well as a host of watersports and other activities. It also has a busy schedule of major international sporting and cultural events throughout the year.