Edison Briesen. Aruba’s Tourism Minister
Q- What’s Aruba’s new policy to enhance the number of tourist-sending markets?
A- Aruba is determined not to hinge exclusively on only one market because we’ve been through a couple of grim experiences. The first one came with the Persian Gulf and the other one after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At the time, we depended over 60 percent on the U.S. market.
Q- What’s your assessment of the CTO’s policy toward the promotion of the Caribbean?
A- We believe (that policy) calls for further diversification. They need to have different destinations, other European nations, widen the spectrum as much as we’re doing right now. We’re putting our smart money on opening up to, for example, the Spanish market, and then we’ll go on into such countries as Brazil and Argentina. They’re going to count on our entire collaboration.
Q- What destinations are you focusing your efforts to bring in new travelers on?
A- Mexico, Central American and South America –which are our natural targets- plus Europe.
Q- Does Aruba want to have more hotel rooms or higher qualitative outcomes?
R- I think there’s room for both things. We must improve the quality of our offerings on a permanent basis, not only from the standpoint of human resources and infrastructure, but also in terms of number of rooms. We conducted a thorough research study and we jumped to the conclusion that we’re in a position to add a thousand more rooms without neglecting housing projects, the environment and schools.
Q- Is there any hotel chain already interested in this enhancement?
A- We’re holding talks with world-class Ritz Carlton Hotels with a view to raise the quality of our tourist product.
Q- Is Aruba going to enhance its seaport?
A- Yes, it is. We’ve got this Spanish company conducting a feasibility research to enhance the cruise port and move the cargo harbor to a different location. If there’s any room left after that, we’re going to build a marina for mega yachts on the premises, plus nearby condos and villas. That plan also includes a project to join the cruise port together with downtown Orajenstad, the island nation’s capital.
Q- From the viewpoint of European tour operators, there’re no cheap hotels in Aruba. What’s your response to that?
A- Each and every island has its own features. We’ve got top-notch facilities, an immense human infrastructure virtually all across the island. Moreover, most people speak more than four languages, and our training, educational and sanitation levels are pretty high. At the same time, all hotels count on potable water, so you can even drink straight from the faucet because we have a huge desalinating plant that makes this possible. Besides, safety and security for tourists are guaranteed; we’re too far from the hurricane beltway and rainfall is almost zilch because there’s stable weather all year round. The other countries don’t have this much to offer; therefore, we think Aruba is an island where quality rather than volume is the name of the game.
Q- Are you going to have new airlines?
A- We’ve got our Air Two Thousand’s charter flights, formerly making stopovers but now flying nonstop from London. We’re also negotiating with British Airways and other carriers for charter flights from Spain. At the same time, we’re weighing new schedules with KLM for Aruba-bound nonstop flights from the Netherlands, plus the creation of two Aruban airlines: Royal Aruba that will get cracking in December, making connections from different Caribbean and mainland destinations with regular airlines coming from Europe and some North American travel destinations such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale and others. On the other hand, Avia Excel will start with flights of its own, too. With this company we’ll have better chances for more interesting and flexible moves than with much bigger airlines like KLM.
