Tourism powers Antigua and Barbuda’s economic surge
... Arrival numbers climb, GDP grows by 6.1 per cent, and 2025 outlook remains strong
Published:Friday | May 23, 2025 | 12:06 AMJanet Silvera/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Antigua and Barbuda is riding a wave of exceptional tourism growth, emerging as one of the fastest-growing service-based economies in the Caribbean and a standout success story in the region’s post-pandemic recovery.
Speaking at the 43rd staging of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace, Colin James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, revealed that the country welcomed approximately 1.2 million visitors in 2024, fuelling a 6.1 per cent increase in GDP and cementing tourism as the engine of national development.
“Tourism accounts for 70 per cent of our GDP, and over 12,000 jobs, about a third of our workforce depend on this industry,” James said. “Wherever tourism goes, that’s where our nation goes.”
The destination’s performance in the first quarter of 2025 already signals another record-breaking year. As of the end of March, 103,000 stay-over arrivals were recorded, surpassing the 97,000 welcomed during the same period in 2024, which was itself a record year.
The United States continues to be Antigua and Barbuda’s largest source market, delivering over 51,000 visitors in Q1 2025, followed by Canada with 12,000 and Europe with 30,000. The Caribbean market is also rising steadily, reflecting the Government’s focus on diversification and resilience.
“We’ve been deliberate about spreading our risk. We’re not putting all our eggs in one basket,” James said, noting that efforts to expand into Latin America and other emerging markets are already bearing fruit.
James also credited the island’s smooth digital arrival process, ArriveAntigua.com, as a contributor to visitor satisfaction and repeat travel.
“No need for an app or a 72-hour check-in. It’s AI-powered, easy to use, and enhances the visitor’s first interaction with our country,” he said. Visitors simply upload passport and travel information, snap a selfie, and receive a QR code for both arrival and departure clearance.
STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS
To support growing demand, Antigua and Barbuda has embarked on a series of strategic investments: The VC Bird International Airport is undergoing multimillion-dollar upgrades, including improvements to its Category 1 runway – the only one in the Eastern Caribbean equipped with a HARRESO safety zone, allowing for large aircraft landings.
Cruise tourism is also on the rise, with a new cruise terminal expected to open later this year to support homeporting operations. The luxury sector is expanding with projects such as the popular Nikki Beach Resort and Spa, featuring 181 luxury residences; The Royal Antiguan by Marriott, with over 114 rooms and overwater villas and Moongate Hotel & Spa, offering 71 suites and upscale amenities.
“We are catering to a high-end, recession-resilient market, but doing it with care, so as not to compromise the beauty of our 365 beaches,” said James.
Despite its size, Antigua and Barbuda is making an outsized impact. “We may be small, but as we say here, ‘we likkle but we tallawah,’” James told delegates. “Our tourism story is one of resilience, ambition, and strategic growth.”
With 2025 GDP growth projected at 3.5 per cent, Antigua and Barbuda is second only to oil-rich Guyana among CARICOM countries in terms of economic expansion, a remarkable feat for a tourism-dependent economy.
As Caribbean Travel Marketplace continues, the twin-island nation is showcasing more than just its natural beauty, it’s proving that smart tourism policy and sustained investment can turn a small island into a regional powerhouse.