Amigoe: Aruban Minister Briesen of Tourism negligent

Amigoe; Saturday May 20, 2006: Minister Briesen of Tourism negligent

Is there any wonder why Tourism Minister Briesen has not put forth any new tourism numbers seeing that there was a 12.8% decrease of passengers at Beatrix Airport. Those in Parliament are now questioning the release and tardiness of tourism numbers. Interesting and no coincidence that the delay in these tourism numbers are in direct correlation to Natalee Holloway’s disappearance and the subsequent investigation. Get the feeling that they don’t want anyone to see the disastrous tourism numbers?

For years the tourism figures became available real fast; most of the time 15 days after the end of the preceding month.

Diario was making a similar comment in December 2005 asking if the Minister of tourism remains in hiding. Think they may want to rethink this previous statement, “Aruba Will Survive with or without Natalee Holloway hype”. Aruba also has this tourism hit to look forward to in 2007, Amigoe: Carnival takes Aruba off their list of destinations.

ARUBA – The Lack of recent figures on the tourism has big consequences for the economic development of Aruba. Without these figures the development can no longer be observed. AVP-parliamentarian Andy Lee accuses the Tourism-minister Edison Briesen (MEP) of negligence. The most recent tourism figures are from December 2005.

Aruba’s economy depends mostly on tourism. The amount of visitors to the island and the amount of money that is being spent is of relevance to the country. Based on these figures and the comparison of new and older figures determines the achieved return. This is how a development in the tourism, and thus in the economy is ascertained. For years the tourism figures became available real fast; most of the time 15 days after the end of the preceding month. These figures gave a clear picture of the tourism in Aruba and if necessary, fast and adequate actions could be taken. Lee says that in the past two years, the figures were received later and later and currently there are no figures at all. Since August and September of 2004, the monthly reports of respectively the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) and the Central Bank of Aruba (CBA) do not include tourism figures. The lack of tourism figures has consequences for other figures that are important for the economy. We don’t know how much money was spent by the tourists and if this is more or less than the preceding years. We don’t know the status of the economy. Lee is of the opinion that due to this, it will not be possible to make structural plans and find solutions for pressure points.

He says that Briesen is taking unnecessary risks for the development of Aruba. Lee proposed that Briesen comes with a good information system, so that the development of the tourism can be monitored efficiently and effectively. This way we can react fast in order to remain in a positive competitive position.