Aruban Tourism Down Again; What Will it take to Wake these people Up? What Are they Hiding?

If Aruba thought that they had seen the last of their terrible tourism number in the Aruban tourism graph

fourth quarter of 2005; they thought wrong. Of course there was the previously posted disastrous tourism numbers from Amigoe, Number of Airport passengers in Aruba dropped vigorously by 12.8 percent. Spin as they might have in the past and having all but lied about the declining tourism, Aruba finds itself in a pickle. For 2005, less passengers arrived at the Airport Reina Beatrix than in 2004. It appears that the decline continues.

The number of cruising tourists decreased in April 2006 with 12.9 percent with respect to a year rather and came in 17.1 percent less cruising ships there. The number of tourists that by plane arrived, decreased with 14.7 percent.

The question comes to mind to Aruban officials; was it worth it? Usually a loss of 2 or Aruba airport 2

3 percent in tourism is considered bad. But continual double digit losses. We go back and are reminded of the AP article that stated, the Boycott will have no affect. Want to make any more intelligent predictions?

Gov. Bob Riley’s call for a tourist boycott of Aruba, where a Mississippi native has been missing since May 30, had little or no immediate impact and is unlikely to deter trips to the Caribbean island, travel experts said.

“We really have not seen a significant change in interest in travel to Aruba,” said Justin McNaull, AAA Travel spokesman.

But those who research boycotts say this one may be a futile effort.

No effect, huh? Better check the numbers.

All of this could have been avoided if you had just properly done an investigation into the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Why would Aruban officials jeopardized their countries tourism to not have solved this case or really have conducted the investigation in a normal manner? What are they hiding that they would risk double digit drops in tourism month after month?

What is Aruba hiding that it would continue to risk a double digit decline in tourism rather than come clean as to what happened to Natalee Holloway and why they did not investigate this case as it should have been?

Maybe Judge Barbara R. Kapnick of the NY State Supreme Court needs to address this very issue as to whether the Holloway and Twitty families could ever get a fair hearing in Aruba. If officials are willing to cover up at such great loss to Aruba, how could one ever expect judicial impartiality?

Amigoe: July 4, 2006

ORANJESTAD – In the first trimester of 2006 less tourists came to Aruba than in 2005th this state in the maandbulletin over April by means of the airport 14.7 percent, which published the central bank of Aruba (CBA) recently.

CBA do not have recent figures which show the spending amount of tourists. The last figures which Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) published, dating January 2006. From those figures appeared that tourists in January 2006 spent 15.8 percent less than in 2005

ATA had, then CBA its bulletin over April published, the figures of arriving tourists and the number of overnachtingen over February, March and April 2006 not yet available. In the financial bulletin over April data which come from Executive Board immigration and the central office for, have been processed statistics (CBS). The bank reaches the conclusion that both the number of tourists and the occupancy in the hotels decreased. The number of cruising tourists decreased in April 2006 with 12.9 percent with respect to a year rather and came in 17.1 percent less cruising ships there. The number of tourists that by plane arrived, decreased with 14.7 percent. This percentage is the result of the difference between the first trimester of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005. the bank communicates further that the average occupancy in hotels decreased to 81.3 percent (compared to April 2005). By means of information of cruising Tourism Authority CBA that the number of cruising passengers in April decreased with 12.9 percent, compared to April 2005. The number of cruising ships let know that in Aruba moored decreased also, with 17.1 percent.

INDEX

In the framework of financial developments communicated a money increase of 32 millions florin to the bank, to an amount of 2474.1 million florin. The increase was among other things caused by an increase of the number of loans for companies and mortgages of 1.4 percent. This produced 13.6 million florin. Consumer credits names finished with 0.2 per cent. This percentage stands right to something less than a million florin.

The consumers index were in April 3.7 percent higher than in April 2005. the average year inflation up to and including April stands on 3.9 percent. The bank calculated percent in April 2005 still 2.8. The bank has made calculations for the expectation on the short period. CBA expect that the total year percentage in 2006, will end up on an increase of 1.7 percent and that 2007 will show an increase of 1.2 percent. This increase means that the inflation figure for 2006 will end up on approximately 5.6 percent and in 2007, up 4 per cent.

Amigoe Translation:

Almost 15 percent less tourists in the first quarter

ARUBA – In the monthly bulletin of April that the Central Bank of Aruba (CBA) published recently is stated that in the first quarter of 2006, 14.7 percent less tourists visited Aruba than in 2005.

CBA does not have recent figures on the amount of money the tourists have spent. The last figures that Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) had published were in January of 2005. When CBA published her April bulletin, ATA didn’t have the figures on arriving tourists and the number of staying over tourists for February, March and April yet.

The data in the financial bulletin of April came from the Immigration administration and the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). The Bank concluded that the number of tourists as well as the room occupancy in the hotels had dropped. The number of cruise tourists in April of 2006 had dropped with 12.9 percent compared to same month last year and 17.1 percent less cruise ships had called on the port of Aruba. The number of tourists that came to Aruba via air dropped with 14.7 percent. This percentage is the result of the difference between the first quarter of 2006 and the same period in 2005. The Bank indicated further that the average room occupancy in hotels dropped to 81.3 percent compared with April of 2005.

As part of financial developments, the Bank reported an increase of money of 32 million florins to an amount of 2474.1 million florins. The increase is attributed to an increase of the number of loans by businesses and mortgages of 1.4 percent (13.6 million florins). Consumer credits decreased with 0.2 percent, which is equal to more or less 1 million florins.