Quick Chat with Beth Twitty from Wisconsin

Earlier today I caught up with Beth Twitty while she was coming from her speech  for the Wisconsin Sheriffs in Madison, WI. (Greta Van Susteren’s old stomping grounds.)  Catching her in the airport seems to be a knack of mine  these days. Beth told me that she still has not heard anything regarding the civil case in NYC; however, she continue speaking to law enforcement and students regarding “Safe Travel” and gaining more states to independently endorse her “Safe Travels” program.

I was also able to tell Beth that Aruba is announcing that their airplane passengers to Aruba were down for the first 6 months of 2006. Beth was not aware of today’s Amigoe article due to the busy schedule with her Madison speech and running to the airport. We further went on to discuss the fact that American passengers were down 11.5% while Colombians increased by 14.3%. That will be a major issue in the not too distant future. That discussion is for a future post.

What Aruba has not figured out is the the clock will never stop, that will allow their tourism to rebound. The reason is because the Natalee Holloway disappearance does not go away. Aruba thought it would in one week, they had planned on it. Beth Twitty’s speaking engagements discuss safe travel, but they also reference Natalee. The story will always be told, it does not go away. Beth Twitty is too strong a women to let the story go away without justice. So ever time Beth speaks to a crowd of law enforcement or students, she tried to prevent a future incident from occurring. In the process she brings up the specter of Natalee Holloway and Aruban tourism goes down again. One would think that Aruba could figure this out.

After some more catching up on some other  topics, questions and theories, I heard in the back ground the call for all to shut off their cell phones. Having got Beth in trouble in the past with flight attendants and cell phones, I figured I best not press my luck this time. We are working on some things that should be coming to fruition in the not too distant future.

We wish Beth Twitty a safe flight and Godspeed.

Amigoe: Aruba sees Fewer airline passengers in second quarter. What a shock!

The continuation of the declining tourism in Aruba was confirmed again when it was reported that fewer airline passengers arrived in Aruba for the second quarter. The number of American airline passengers to Aruba for the first 6 months to Aruba was 11.5%.

ARUBA – Compared to the second quarter of last year, 5 percent less people traveled via the airport of Aruba, but the number of flights increased with 11 percent. 

Compared with last year, the drop in passengers in the first six months of this year was 9 percent and the number of flights increased with 4 percent.  The number of passengers from the US dropped with 11.5 percent and from Europe with 11.5 percent.   The number of passengers from Colombia increased with 14.3 percent and from the Neth. Antilles with 9.6 percent.

Read more

AM Digital: One Littered Island, Or is it a Metaphor?

From the 7/20/06 AM Digital article, AHATA Concerned about litter in Aruba:

(AM Digital, Click on article to enlarge)

Seems the second concern of the AHATA is the litter that has accumulated in Aruba and the 120 illegal garbage dumping sites in Aruba. Aruba is only so big, how could there be so many illegal sites and more to the point overlooked until now? Aruba is all about tourism. Why would they let it get to the point that it became an eyesore for tourists? This is the lasting image they wish to leave with tourists? One wonders whether AHATA has any form of tourism marketing plan that makes sense at all.

Does it seem like Aruba’s garbage problem is a metaphor for pretty much everything that goes on there? Overlook, hide and keep quiet about any issue until it becomes so noticeable that one cannot keep quiet any longer.

Although AHATA is concerned about litter, we are guessing they are concerned about much greater things. At least they better be.

Tax and Spend Aruba; Government Snatches Every Penny

From AM Digital (7/21/06)Â  comes the following article. Seems that tax and spend Aruban government is wearing out its welcome with the people.

(AM Digital: Click on article to enlarge)

It would appear that the Arubans are getting restless. New government may change taxes, but things will only get better if a new government decides to actively pursue justice in the Natalee Holloway case.

Aruba Marketing Retreat Resolution; Aruba … You Better Do More than This

The other day we posted on the retreat that Aruban tourism officials participated in New York City in hopes of coming up with answers to stem the tide of their declining tourism. Their answer … the following resolution and thinking that throwing more money at the problem is the answer. Here is a hint … it won’t.

We will say this one more time so that either you see the truth or the citizens of Aruba understand the real reason why  their economy is in free-fall.

BAD PUBLICITY IN THE NATALEE HOLLOWAY CASE DID NOT CAUSE YOUR TOURISM TO FALL. YOUR BAD IMAGE WAS CREATED ALL BY YOURSELF BECAUSE ARUBAN OFFICIALS AND CERTAIN POLICE DECIDED TO TURN THEIR HEAD FOR JUSTICE OF AN AMERICAN TOURIST.

STOP BLAMING OTHER AND TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY.

Until Aruba takes responsibility for what they did and continue to do, NO ONE IS GOING TO GO TO YOUR ISLAND!!!  14 months later and Aruba is still making excuses. What reason would anyone want to spend their hard earned money for a vacation on an island where Aruba has still learned nothing and blames everyone else for their problems but themselves.

  (Click on document to enlarge)

   As we have previously stated and Larry Garrison, co-author of   Aruba: The Tragic Untold Story of Natalee Holloway and Corruption in Paradise  and author of the new book  The NewsBreakers, stated as well last night during an interview with Dana Pretzer and C-Band Talk Radio, if Aruba can come to NYC in search of ways to gain wealth … if Joran Van der Sloot can come to NYC to do the same. Then why cant the judge in the civil court case filed by Natalee’s parents deem NYC a proper jurisdiction?

Isn’t that rather convenient. Aruba can come to NYC on a retreat to discuss the marketing and basically out-source their tourism with NYC consultants, but there is no NEXUS in the civil case according to the lawyers for the Van der Sloots. Its also OK for the Van der Sloots to come to NYC for their own self-serving purposes. (Scared Monkeys)

Aruba and the Van der Sloot’s had no problem coming to the USA and NYC to get rich. Why can’t they be judged as well in that same place? Hopefully the judge will take this into consideration.

(Hat Tip: Diario (7/21/06): PREOCUPACION GRANDI CERCA AHATA Y OTRO PARTNERNAN PRIVA DEN E SECTOR DI TURISMO)