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Aruba Product Update September 2009

ARUBANS IN THE NEWS

  • Nicole Hoevertsz, member of the Aruba Olympic Committee met with First Lady Michelle Obama during the IOC congress in Copenhagen for the bidding of the host country for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

GENERAL 

  • Underscoring the island's long-time commitment to high standards in the area of international tax compliance and transparency, Aruba was elevated to ‘White List' status by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on September 10, 2009.  Aruba's Minister of Finance, Nilo Swaen, signed new TIEAs with the Nordic Alliance including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, along with the British Virgin Islands and Nevis & St. Kitts.  Aruba signed a TIEA with the U.S. in November 2003 and also has a tax agreement with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba is currently negotiating additional TIEAs with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Mexico.
    “We are extremely pleased with this excellent news," stated Myrna Jansen-Feliciano, managing director of the Aruba Tourism Authority. "These new tax incentives will tremendously benefit the group and meetings/incentives markets, enhancing Aruba's reputation as a destination that offers much more than just pristine beaches and year-round perfect weather." Having OECD ‘White List' status will benefit tourism in Aruba by offering tax incentives to international groups that bring business to the island.  Aruba has dozens of meeting, accommodations and activity options that are attractive for business groups large and small. For example, Aruba will play host to the Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE) International Conference from October 30 - November 2, 2009, with over 400 participants expected to attend.  For more information on SITE, visit www.siteglobal.com.       

  • The season of the Leatherback Sea Turtle, known as Driekiel is over. A record breaking 72 nests were laid this year as opposed to the more than 48 last year. According to Tortugaruba, only 10 female turtles laid eggs, which in turn is fascinating as some of the turtles laid nine nests (Normally 6-8 nests). Once a turtle nest has been spotted, Turtugaruba monitors and protects the nests with red & white barricades featuring a sign with explanation. To contact Edith, write to turtugaruba@hotmail.com or wal@setarnet.aw or call the turtle hotline at (297) 592-9393.

  • Mr. James Richard Hepple is the new President and CEO of the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association (AHATA). Hepple is a distinguished tourism professional who holds ample experience in the Caribbean region and comes to Aruba from his last post in Saint Lucia, where he held a key position for the Saint Lucia Tourism Board (since 2007).  In recent years, Hepple has served in tourism director positions with Trinidad & Tobago (2005-2007), Curacao (2001-2005), Bahamas (1993-2001 and 1983-1989), and with Trusthouse Forte Hotels in Bermuda (1989-1991).  

  • The Aruba Music Festival is ready to go! Featuring Fonseca, Paulina Rubio and Earth, Wind & Fire, the festival promises to turn into another successful event. For more information  and ticket sales please go to www.aruba.com.

  • Aruba‘s own Balashi Beer is celebration 10 years with lots of activities throughout the month of October. One of the main events is the open house day on October 25 at the Balashi Brewery, which produces 15,000 balashi beer bottles per hour. Other activities scheduled on that day include folkloric dances and performances by local bands. Balashi Brewery also contributes to the environment by donating a fixed amount to the StimAruba Foundation for every empty bottle or case returned for recycling.

  • In cooperation with PADI and project AWARE, Red Sail Sports Aruba is organizing a beach clean up on Saturday October 24, 2009 from 8 am to noon. Registration is free, includes a t-shirt and a snorkeling trip in the afternoon. Please register via www.redsailaruba.com or call 586 1603.

  • The Aruba Post Office introduced four new stamps commemorating the dolphins (the Stenella frontalis and the Stenella bredanensis) that live in the waters surrounding Aruba. The stamps are of a 125 cents (shows a close up of the stenella frontalis for greater details), 200 cents (close up of the stenella bredanensis), 300 cents (shows two frontalis dolphins swimming upside down) and 325 cents (shows a group (4) of adult dolphins and one newborn swimming up and down).
    Another set of stamps was also issued commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Biblioteca Nacional Aruba (Aruba National Library). The two stamps, one of 185 cents, show a child reading a book. The 300 cents stamp shows the same child reading a book in present time.
    The new stamps are available at postal office locations in Oranjestad, San Nicolas, Santa Cruz and Port of Call. For more information please email at philatelic@postaruba.com or call (297) 582-1900.

ARTS & CULTURE

  • Terrafuse the local foundation that supports glass art, ceramic art and metal art invited internationally renowned glass artist JanHein van Stiphout from the Netherlands to come to Aruba for various workshops. Terrafuse founders Ciro & Miriam Abath will give workshops together with JanHein in November. The workshops will cover bead making, lamp working and kiln casting. For more information about the program or reservations please contact Miriam Abath at (297) 592-2978 or email at arubaglassceramics@gmail.com.

 

RESORTS & APARTMENTS

    • Mr. Richard Roy is the new General Manager at the Westin Resort Aruba. Richard comes with over 25 years of experience and has served as the hotel manager since 2007 and as GM for the last nine months. For more information please contact the Westin Resort at (297) 586-4466 or visit www.westinaruba.com.

     

    AIRPORT, AIRLINES & CRUISESHIPS

    • The Aruba Airport Authority N.V. (AAA) won the price for Runner-up for the Global Airport Marketing Award 2009 in the category ‘the America’s”. OAG awards airports in geographical categories, irrespective of the amount of passengers that the airport receives per year.  This result is outstanding and important for AAA for two reasons: First of all, airlines themselves nominate the airports who made a real difference to their own network planning activity over the last 12 months. And secondly, AAA was awarded Highly Commended, being the only Central and South American airport nominated. For more information please contact Mr. Hendrik Croes at the Aruba Airport Authority at (297) 524-2424.

    • GOL announced on Monday that it received permission to operate scheduled flights between Brazil, Venezuela and Aruba from the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) and other relevant authorities. GOL plans to launch the new route, which will be operated by the VARIG brand, on 4 October and will initially operate the flights weekly, on Sundays, using Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircrafts.  Flights will depart Sao Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport at 11:00, arriving in Caracas Venezuela at 15:30, departing at 16:10 and arriving in Aruba at 17:55. Return flights will depart Aruba at 21:20, arriving in Caracas at 22:05, and departing Caracas for Sao Paulo at 22:45. For more information please contact Mr. Hendrik Croes at the Aruba Airport Authority at (297) 524-2424.  

    • The Aruba Cruise Tourism Authority (CTA) recorded a growth in numbers of cruise passengers for the months of July & August. July 2009 saw a growth from 14.490 passengers Aruba received in July 2008 to a total of 15.456 passengers in 2009. The biggest growth was for the month of August, recording a record growth from 13.910 in 2008 to a total of 18.494 in 2009. These numbers represent both actual passengers as well as crew members. CTA also launched their new Aruba film on www.arubabycruise.com. For more information please contact (297) 583-3648 or email at info@arubabycruise.com.

     

    October 2, 2009
    (Sources: Amigoe di Aruba, BonDia, The News, Aruba Today, hotel/company press releases)