Aruba Marriott For Sale … Aruba is an ideal market for investment, really? … ideal weather

The Aruba Marriott has sold. The ownership entity holding the leasehold interest in the 413-room Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino sold for $237 million to the Caribbean Real Estate Opportunity Fund.

“Aruba is an ideal market for investment given its unique attributes which include great airlift, ideal weather, a stable political climate and labor pool, high barriers to entry and strong asset performance,” commented Mark J. Gordon. (Yahoo)

Attributes … really? Based on the recently reported 66.6% occupancy rates of hotels in Aruba the new owners can expect 287 of those rooms filled. Some of the ideal weather was reported in todays Amigoe, as “streets and houses flooded due to heavy rain fall.” 

Continuous rain caused a lot of inconvenience.  Cars were snarled up in the streets that were hardly visible due to the big amount of water.  Houses were also flooded and several neighbourhoods were without power.  The airport was closed for a short period of time this morning and again for approximately two hours this afternoon. 126 Millimeter rain was measured at the airport in the past 24 hours.

Let’s look at that stable political climate they are discussing. Tourism is the number one money maker for the Aruban economy. Aruba vs. the rest of the Caribbean is severely down. Its hard to imagine that an unstable tourism problem trending downward could create any type of stability for a Caribbean island dependent upon that tourism for its economy. Stability?

Did we forget to say that the inflation rate is up to 4.1%?

• AHATA extremely disappointed in Minister Briesen, Minister of Tourism and Transport regarding handling of tourism.
• Aruban Minister, reported as Ramon Lee, accused of alleged assault.
• Caribbean tourism exceeding 5.1% global growth, Aruba … negative.
• Aruban – Dutch financial loan issue
• Aruba had no anti-corruption legislation, really?
• Unknown crime rate
• Budget Cuts from lack of government revenue
• MEP Criticizes Its Own
• Admittance Laws to hurt Aruban Time Sharing
• More Aruban politicians are coming forward and stating their displeasure in how MEP has things handled things with regards to tourism
• MEP will summon its militants to turn the tide and protect democracy and the constitutional state
• MEP Free Speech: “Do not confuse our kindness and toleration with weakness, because we warn the population that it will work out differently this time.”
• AVP member Otmar Oduber stated that there is a lot to be desired in Aruban politics at the present. (Gutter politics)
• Economy will come to an end if government does not reduce spending
• Oduber is a Menace to our Aruban Florin
• Aruban economy continues to tank … Debt increases.
• Audit Office investigates business trips of Parliamentarians
• AVP-party leader Mike Eman: ‘Aruba in constitutional crises’
• The MEP hopes that the government will start an inquiry on the integrity of the police.”
• Ahata and Dumfries (MEP) fight over room tax
• Aruban Police threaten Walk Out
• Aruban PM Nelson Oduber calls Business Owners Dishonest and Abusers
• Strike & Unrest in Aruba, Water will not be disconnected; electricity, not sure
• Taxes, taxes, taxes …
• Aruban peoples buying power drastically reduced