Good news for Aruba
Tourism officials, agents stand by island’s safe rep
A.M. Digital
11/09/2005

We thank the Aruba Tourism Authority for sending us the following article because we also stand by Aruba’s as the safest island in the Caribbean.

The Caribbean island of Aruba is recovering from the much-publicized disappearance of an Alabama teenager, Natalee Holloway, in the spring, island officials and agents say, citing strong occupancy and arrivals, and a renewed commitment to visitor safety.

The hospitality community is deeply concerned with the Holloway case, says Myrna Jansen, managing director for the Aruba Tourism Authority. “Aruba is a very safe place, and that’s why the case has been so widely publicized,” she says. “We certainly hope it’s solved very soon.”

Positive Signs: Jansen says Aruba’s reputation remains in-tact, noting that U.S. arrivals for June 2005 were up 9 percent over a year ago, and hotel occupancy forecasts are also higher than last year’s, with 79 percent island-wide occupancy estimated for October and 78 percent predicted for November. “Aruba leads the Caribbean in repeat visits, with 40 percent of our visitors returning to the destination,” she explains. “They know that Aruba is a safe island, and it’s great to have that support.”

The southern Caribbean destination continues to see a strong mix of families and honeymoon travelers, especially in the high season between Dec. 23 and Easter, when room rates can go up as much as 30 percent, says Rob Smith, general manager at the 481-room Wyndham Aruba Resort Spa & Casino. “Our guest probe is changing slightly-it’s becoming demographically a little more upscale,” he observes, “We’re looking at the first quarter of next year and it looks great, even compared with 2005, which has been an excellent year.”

Smith is president of the Aruba Hospitality & Security Foundation, a four-year-old public/private partnership designed to increase the visibility of law enforcement in tourist zones. “We started the foundation because we realize safety is one of our top selling points here in Aruba,” he explains. “In the post 9-11 era we thought it was a good idea to increase the visibility of the security force. The foundation currently employs 71 uniformed security guards that work directly with police, patrolling hotels, beaches, and other areas frequented by visitors,” Smith says. Primary funding for the $1.5 million-dollar program comes from the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association.

What Agents Say: Good air coverage, packages from wholesalers, and a diverse set of island attractions product are making for a good year in Aruba, agents say, despite the substantial publicity around Holloway’s disappearance.Direct flights to Aruba, like those offered by US Airways from Philadelphia, are major selling points for the destination, says Donna Stoop, owner of Jade Travel Services in Aston, PA. “I’m continuing to see a lot of interest in Aruba, because of the variety there. It has beautiful beaches, excellent diving, and Vegas-style casinos,” she explains.

Jamie McCabe, owner of See Life Travel in Ellington, CT, says that packages from the Northeast to Aruba help make the destination especially attractive, noting that Apple Vacations, GMV Vacations and TNT Vacations all offer Aruba packages, some with direct charter flights from the East Coast. In McCabe’s primary markets in the Northeast, the perception of Aruba is one of safety, she says. “In my opinion, Aruba is one of the safest destinations in the Caribbean. I’m not hearing any concerns about safety from my clients.”

But the Holloway disappearance has changed things for at least one travel agency in the teen’s hometown. Cheryl Floyd, leisure specialist at All Seasons Travel in Birmingham, Alabama says: “Certainly Natalee’s disappearance has impacted us. Before this summer, we sold a significant amount of Aruba business, but I don’t think we’ve sold a single Aruba package since then.
“People are staying away out of respect to the family, but also because there is a certain amount of fear involved,” she says. “I hope things get back to normal, because Aruba is such a lovely island, and the people there really depend on tourism.”

[English language original text]