RSSNatalee Holloway: Fewer Airline Passengers to Aruba in the third quarter of 2005 and “The Prefect Storm”.
Many have pondered and those in Aruban tourism have worried over what the effects would be of the perception of the handling of the Natalee Holloway investigation and its affects on American tourism. From A.M. Digital comes an article with some of the answers.
Although the number of passengers that go through Queen Beatrix International Airport are down this third quarter, -3.5% compared to the same quarter last year, aircraft movements are up 6.2%.
Less passengers from the USA (including Puerto Rico) caused the passenger numbers to have decreased.
A number of factors contributed to the decrease: the unusually high number of hurricanes affecting the US, the high price of oil that affects the cost of jet fuel and the negative media publicity in the US regarding the Holloway case. Contributing to the negative growth was also the Antillean operation; in 2004 Dutch Caribbean Airlines (DCA) was still operating. Only a small part of DCA’s regional network has been taken over by BonairExpress, a smaller airline that doesn’t have the same passenger capacity as DCA.
The numbers are actually shocking as many would have believed that they may have stayed the same or increased as bookings during the third quarter would have been difficult to cancel as many tourists may have been locked into plans or had to suffer penalties for changes. The 3.5% decrease must have been eye opening for the tourism officials in Aruba.
That being said the more telling tourism numbers will be during the 4th quarter of 2005 and the 1st quarter if 2006 when people will have a greater lead time to determine their travel destinations and during the height of the Aruba travel season.
The Aruban tourism official seem to have a need to worry as they met with other “Crisis Communications for the Tourism Industry” at the annual Caribbean Tourism Conference on St. Thomas.
The official also indicated that the Holloway family “had connections” and the media had arrived on the island of Aruba within two days of Holloway’s disappearance. One result of this was that the ratings for FOX news, and the Nancy Grace show had doubled.
Aruban authorities had very little information to report since the investigation into Holloway’s disappearance was on going. However, the public (still) watched the news stories about the missing young woman to hear what the media’s discussion about it.
The victim’s mother was available for frequent media appearances and comments, seemingly taking control of the investigation.
Delegates had numerous questions for the panelists. Among those coming to the microphone was the Director of Tourism for Aruba, who described the disappearance of Natalee Holloway as “the perfect storm“.
However, there are many differences between making a comparison to the Aruban “perfect storm” and the one that actually occurred off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts in 1991.
This “Perfect Storm” — so called because it was three storms combined into one — created an almost apocalyptic situation in the Atlantic ocean, where boats encountered waves of 100 feet (30 meters) — the equivalent of a ten-story building.
The difference being that one occurs naturally in nature, the other would be more a product of man made events and the perception that nothing was being done to properly investigate a potential crime and disappearance. The tourism industry in Aruba needs to stop blaming the media for these events and take a good look at the investigation. Even the Aruban Prime Minister has stated in the past that mistakes were made and acting Deputy Police Chief Gerold Dompig admits he is starting the investigation from the beginning. No matter what side one takes in this matter or what one’s theory and speculation is; the case was not handled properly from the beginning. One side screams that the Van der Sloot home should have been completely searched, while the other side states that the Mountain Brook teens should have been questioned more. Both sides may be right; however, it does show that so many things were missed during the crucial points in the investigation that if done we most likely would be looking at a much different scenario today.
There is a line in the movie “The Perfect Storm” when that may fit the situation at hand that Aruba may be facing. Captain Billy Tyne says to Bobby Shatford as they discuss Bobby’s love of the sea and his girlfriend who he can’t stand to be away from … “Son, you’ve got a problem”.
Posted October 28, 2005 by Scared Monkeys Aruba, Business, Economy, Missing Persons, Natalee Holloway, Travel | 22 comments |
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22 Responses to “Natalee Holloway: Fewer Airline Passengers to Aruba in the third quarter of 2005 and “The Prefect Storm”.”
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I hope Americans continue to travel and vacation,but not to Aruba.
YEAH !!! Keep bringing the numbers going to Aruba down until justice is served !!!
I hope tourism plummits. Only then, will the Dutch officials realize the impact of their botched investigation, lack of concern at the onset of Natalee’s disappearance, and the consequences of giving preferential treatment to Joran and his father, as well as Depak and Satish.
No satisfactory solution = reduced / no tourism. Mabe Aruba will get a reputation like Haiti??
Tourism in Aruba has a strong base. People who have come to Aruba for years know that Aruba is a safe place. Some Americans think that criminal investigations should be conducted on TABLOID TV Shows, like Nancy Grace, Greta van Susteren or Dr. Phil. Thank GOD that in Aruba we don’t have TABLOID media like America has.
I am confident that the Aruban investigators will solve this case.
I am an Aruban and proud of it.
This report is very wrong, this situation has not brought any change in the tourism industry of Aruba as many of you ignorant would have loved. The drop was more because of the hurricanes in the US and also the fuel prices which made people more conscious how to spend their money. Aruba will continue to flourish like it or not.
Also you get can a more reliable piece of information on Aruba tourism, go to NewYork Times its real not tabloid or biased.
Yeah! This is really good news. Let’s keep those numbers going the same way…down!
Get over it.Aruba may suffer for a bit like post 9/11….but it will all come back.people know that this is an isolated incident.people forget and time heals all wounds.australians still go to bali after how many of their citizens get the death penalty for drugs and 2 bombings that killed hundreds of people.natalle holloway will soon be like saying chandra levy(remember her?)No matter what you people say or do.This is a dead issue………
To Bluesky: I have been to Aruba 6 times. My annual vacation destination. However, it will not be my destination again until there is justice for Natalee: a real investigation, arrest of the perps, and the Dutch justice system obeys it’s own laws and shows some respect for Natalee, an American tourist, her family grieving her disappearance, and for the American tourists who greatly support their economy. It is with sadness that I support this boycott. I love the island and that is why we had returned there so many times. I cannot in good conscience support Aruba’s economy with such corrupt govt officials in place. Yes, Aruba is generally very safe, we are in agreement about that. But such lack of concern over Natalee’s disappearance, the former police chief, VD Straaten giving Joran (his Godson) 9 days to cover his tracks, etc… causes me great concern and regrettably causes me to support a boycott of all Dutch territories.
Bluesky – the world will not forget what happened to Natalee in Aruba and will ‘vote’ with their tourism dollars. Give it more time and see what happens. This is not going to go away.
How can you say that Aruba is a safe place? Haiti was once a ‘safe’ place, as well, but now……….
No one in their right mind should go to Aruba after viewing video # 8 I would like to hear more about the Oct. 8 Videos from Search for Natalee Raise More Questions on this site, especially video 8. Why isn’t this front page news?
To the Dept for tourism of Aruba;
please note Americans are not blind deaf or dumb. Your lack of tourism has not been brought down by the holloway -twittys, nor by the oil prices nor by the storms that have occured. YOUR blatent disregard for Natalee Holloways dissapearance and mishandling of the case is what caused it. Put the blame where it rightfully goes-with no-one but yourselves. You thought oh mama will go away and this case will remain unsolved. But you underestimated the love of a decent and rightous mother for her missing child. Americans will always back up this case. We do not disregard our own.
Sandy,
I believe you are right. I don’t know anyone who has even cut back on driving due to $2.75 gas, but I do know people everywhere I go are still talking about Natalee.
I am very proud of those Americans that have made the choice to Boycott Aruba! I am with them 100%. I will never forget and will never visit Aruba until this case is resolved!
I would not travel to Aruba simply out of fear that if somthing happened to me or my family, nothing would be done about it.
Who has ever heard of “A.M. Digital”??? I have heard of Carribean News, and they posted that travel to Aruba is down, yes, but… Travel to other ports in the Carribean are also down because of higher prices due to high fuel costs this year. But…… based on the numbers to all the Carribean, they are still high compared to the others. So the travelers are down EVERYWHERE due to high costs, not some blog boycot.
Thank You
To Prima:
I Do Not agree with you on the part of “I cannot in good conscience support Aruba’s economy with such corrupt govt officials in place”.
The argument that you have given is this: “But such lack of concern over Natalee’s disappearance, the former police chief, VD Straaten giving Joran (his Godson) 9 days to cover his tracks, etc…
1. I do not know where you got the info that Joran is a godson of VD Straaten.
2. So you think that VD Straaten intentionally let the three boys go…
3. In Aruba people cannot be arrested without the suspicion that a crime has been
commited. How many days would it take for American Authorities to declare in the
USA that a Missing Persons Investigation will become a Criminal Investigation? I
think reasonably One Week. In the first week of the Natalee investigation there
wasn’t any proof of a criminal act. Please check and Do Compare the investigation
conducted in the Taylor Beahl case, and see if this investigation was declared a
Criminal Investigation in the first week of her dissapearance.
4. Investigations are done according to the Law, and not according to Sentiments
Influenced by the MEDIA.
5. In arresting people, authorities have to take also in to account Constitutional
rights of citizens. I as a law student myself think that the arrest of the Three boys
could have been made in one week. That would have been reasonable for me. It
has taken two extra days. I do not know why this is the case. The Aruban
Authorities stated that the Three Boys were being watched all the time. Some
Americans still do not want to believe that. It could be because of sympathy with
Beth Holloway or because of inert suspicion about Non-American Authorities. It is
possible that Americans in general do not trust Foreign Authorities?
6. I believe that the Aruban Authorities are doing all they can to solve this case.
7. Beth Twitty as Natalee’s mother is too emotional to think clearly in this case. I
understand that she wants to see this case resolved. But she is taking a wrong
approach in her call to Boycott Aruba. She should have more patience.
8. Let us not forget that the two security guards were arrested very quickly. what about their rights? They are the ones who should be suing…
I cant believe you said that ( She should have more patience ) OMFG
The authorities wouldnt have crap without th help of the family.. I bet if the family never went back to Aruba we would never hear another thing ( they would just stick it in a desk drawer) Patience what a joke..
If it was my daughter ( well lets just say there would be a few dead boys)
Aruba wont give justice ( just make your own)
To Sue:
“If it was my daughter ( well lets just say there would be a few dead boys)”
So you would take the Law in your own hands…. Even in America you would then be convicted for Murder.
I understand your frustration.
Patience is a virtue that few people have.
1. I do not know where you got the info that Joran is a godson of VD Straaten.
It has been stated several times, in many places…no one has contradicted it on US news shows, newspapers.
2. So you think that VD Straaten intentionally let the three boys go…
Most certainly… they were the last seen with her; they were not taken in, the car she was last in, with them was not fully inspected for some 9 days (same car that was first said to have blood stains, then no blood stains). The boys clothes was not collected either, for samples/testing.
3. In Aruba people cannot be arrested without the suspicion that a crime has been
commited. How many days would it take for American Authorities to declare in the
USA that a Missing Persons Investigation will become a Criminal Investigation? I
think reasonably One Week. In the first week of the Natalee investigation there
wasn’t any proof of a criminal act. Please check and Do Compare the investigation
conducted in the Taylor Beahl case, and see if this investigation was declared a
Criminal Investigation in the first week of her dissapearance.
Being in her situation, last spotted in a car with saying she was going back to her hotel, never showing up, supposed to leave country next day…police would do a search of last known sighting/company=boys and car: finding blood=new ballgame.
4. Investigations are done according to the Law, and not according to Sentiments
Influenced by the MEDIA.
Surely you jest? No followup questions? No searches? Actually destroying possibly evidence?
5. In arresting people, authorities have to take also in to account Constitutional
rights of citizens. I as a law student myself think that the arrest of the Three boys
could have been made in one week. That would have been reasonable for me. It
has taken two extra days. I do not know why this is the case. The Aruban
Authorities stated that the Three Boys were being watched all the time. Some
Americans still do not want to believe that. It could be because of sympathy with
Beth Holloway or because of inert suspicion about Non-American Authorities. It is
possible that Americans in general do not trust Foreign Authorities?
I guess they were being watched as they destoyed evidence? FBI has been there, in total frustration at the keystone cops. Joran says he think Depak killed her and buried her. Fine. No one asked why, what makes him think so. Nope, fine and dandy, don’t confuse us with facts.
6. I believe that the Aruban Authorities are doing all they can to solve this case.
Uh-uh
7. Beth Twitty as Natalee’s mother is too emotional to think clearly in this case. I
understand that she wants to see this case resolved. But she is taking a wrong
approach in her call to Boycott Aruba. She should have more patience.
Well, she’s been lied to, sent on wild goose chases, no one has made a concentrated effort to find out what happened to her daughter. She actually is willing to accept that her daughter is in all likelyhood dead. She wants to have something to take home of her child. She would like to see something other than indifference and almost pure graft oozing from those who are in charge of finding out what happened.
And, I would also like to see our State Department step up and add pressure at this moment. Enough is enough.