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Antigua and Barbuda

US Revised Tariffs (%)

10

Ease of doing business

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Revised Tariff %
Original Tariff %
Country Tariff Rate %
Share of US Imports % (1 implies <1%)
10
10
13.07
1
Exports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Imports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Balance (in USD Bill.) 2024
0.57
0.02
0.55

Implications

As of January 2026, the trade relationship between the United States and Antigua and Barbuda is defined by a significant shift toward reciprocal tariff structures and new travel restrictions that intersect with economic policy.


1. Latest US Tariffs Update (2025–2026)


Following a series of executive actions in 2025, the US has moved away from unilateral trade preferences toward a "Reciprocal Tariff" model.


  • 10% Baseline Tariff: Effective April 2025, the US imposed a 10% baseline reciprocal tariff on most goods from Antigua and Barbuda.

  • Reciprocity Agreement: Under an arrangement noted by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Antigua and Barbuda maintains its existing 10% tariff on US goods, and in return, the US applies a matching 10% rate (rather than higher "offender" rates applied elsewhere).

  • De Minimis Changes: The US has suspended certain de minimis exemptions, meaning smaller shipments that previously entered duty-free are now subject to these tariffs, impacting small-scale exporters.


2. Major Companies & Sectors Impacted


While Antigua and Barbuda is not a heavy manufacturing hub, specific sectors and firms are feeling the ripple effects:

  • Tourism & Hospitality (Blue Waters Resort, Hodges Bay): While not a "tariff" on goods, the January 1, 2026, US Travel Restrictions (partial ban on new visas for Antiguan nationals due to CBI program concerns) creates a "trade in services" barrier, potentially cooling investor sentiment.

  • Digital & Gaming Sectors: Ongoing friction regarding a decades-old WTO dispute allows Antigua to theoretically retaliate against US Intellectual Property (IP). Companies like Microsoft, Disney, and Apple remain technically at risk of IP-sanctioned "piracy" if the dispute escalates.

  • Shipping & Logistics: Increased "port fees" on Chinese-built vessels (which comprise a large part of the Caribbean fleet) have raised the landed cost of goods for local distributors like Antigua Distillery Ltd and various food importers.


3. GDP & Balance of Trade (BOT) Impact


The economic outlook remains resilient but cautious due to rising import costs.

  • GDP Impact: The IMF and local 2026 Budget statements project growth to moderate to approximately 2.5% in 2026, down from the 4.3% post-pandemic surge in 2024. The 10% tariffs are estimated to have a slight contractionary effect (approx. -0.1 to -0.2 percentage points) on growth due to "imported inflation."


  • BOT YTD (2025/26): Antigua and Barbuda maintains a structural trade deficit with the US.

    • 2025 Total (Est): US Exports to Antigua (~$380M) vs. US Imports from Antigua (~$12M).

    • YTD 2026 Trend: The deficit remains wide as Antigua imports nearly all its fuel, machinery, and food from the US, while its primary export (tourism) is classified as a service rather than a "good."


4. SWOT Analysis: Antigua & Barbuda Economy (2026)

Strengths

Weaknesses

Tourism Dominance: Record-breaking arrivals (1.3M in 2025) drive the majority of FX earnings.

Trade Imbalance: Massive reliance on US imports makes the economy vulnerable to US inflation.

Fiscal Discipline: Debt-to-GDP reduced to ~61%, near the ECCU 60% benchmark.

CBI Reliance: Citizenship by Investment program is under heavy US/EU regulatory pressure.

Weaknesses

Threats

Niche Diversification: Growth in construction and financial services reduces "mono-crop" tourism risk.

Climate Vulnerability: High exposure to hurricanes; disasters can cost upwards of 20% of GDP.

Geopolitical Strategy: Successful negotiation of "reciprocal" 10% tariffs avoids 20%+ "worst offender" rates.

Visa Restrictions: The 2026 US partial travel ban could hinder business mobility and "Trade in Services."


US Revised Tariffs

Country Tariffs

Balance of Trade

Commercial Guide

Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in countries, prepared by U.S. Embassies worldwide, Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals

Trade.Gov Fact Sheet

Tariff Rate for US

World Bank staff estimates using the World Integrated Trade Solution system, based on tariff data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Trade Analysis and Information System ( TRAINS ) database and global imports data from the United Nations Statistics Division's Comtrade database.

US Imports Guide 

United States Imports from Countries during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. United States Imports from Countries- data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on April of 2025.

Investing in USA

theboardiQ Economic Relevance Score, ranks States of USA based on 11 parameters

Sources : ForbesUSDA Economic Research | TCGen Total Innovation Rank Index | Best States for Manufacturing | World Population Review | Tax Foundation | US News | BEA Data | Wikipedia International Trade Administration

theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score provides a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of a nation's economic vitality and global significance. This score is meticulously calculated using 11 key parameters, each reflecting a critical facet of economic performance. It analyzes the representation of Fortune 500 companies within a nation, a strong indicator of its business environment and market size. The balance of trade surplus or deficit reveals the nation's international competitiveness and export strength. It incorporates Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a fundamental measure of overall economic output, and examine the health of key sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. The score also accounts for innovation, gauging a nation's ability to drive future growth through technological advancements. Crucial labor market indicators such as employment rates are considered, alongside fiscal policies reflected in tax rates. To capture the lived experience of citizens, it assesses cost of living and disposable income, providing insight into purchasing power and economic well-being. Finally, education levels are integrated, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering a skilled workforce and driving long-term economic development. By synthesizing these 11 parameters, theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score delivers a nuanced and holistic view of a nation's economic standing, enabling informed strategic decisions. The Top 5 States in the assessment are Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Washington. Texas does consistently well across most of the 11 variables especially in the areas of GDP, F500 representation in the State, Balance of Trade where it ranks 2nd nationally. North Carolina scores as the highest-ranking state nationally in manufacturing and performs consistently across the other variables. Virginia does well in disposable income where it ranks 3rd nationally. It also scores high in the variables of manufacturing and employment Florida holds the 4th ranking nationally for GDP and Tax Washington State scores the top spot for disposable income nationally, 2nd for education and 3rd for innovation. Colorado, with an overall rank of 7 scores the top spot for Education (schools and higher education). Nebraska, that ranked 10th overall, did well in Agriculture where it is ranked 3rd nationally as well as Trade Balance where it ranked 5th. Illinois, though ranked 20th overall did well nationally in F500 representation, GDP, Agriculture, and Disposable Income. Pennsylvania comes in at 21 overall doing well nationally in GDP (6th); Manufacturing (8th) and F500 representation (8th) New York scores 23rd overall with a 2 ranking in Disposable Income nationally, as well as 3rd in both F500 representation and GDP. California comes in at 29th overall and has the top spot ranking in a whopping 4 variables nationally – GDP, Innovation, Agriculture and F500 representation. However, performance in the areas of Trade Balance, Cost of Living, Tax, Manufacturing and Employment resulted in the overall ranking dipping. Wyoming at 30th overall scores the top spot nationally in the area of Tax Massachusetts at 31 overall does well in innovation where it is ranked 2nd nationally Arkansas at 36 and Alabama at 39, do well in overall Cost of Living where they are ranked 2nd and 3rd nationally, respectively. Louisiana ranked 44th overall is ranked 1st in Trade Balance nationally.

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