Could the Holloway Fallout Hit Aruba´s Travel Industry Hard?

Tourism officials in Aruba are reeling from the heavy negative publicity brought about by the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway, who had come to the island along with 124 other American students to celebrate their graduation from Mountain Brook High School in Alabama.

Holloway vanished in the wee hours of May 30 after leaving an Oranjestad nightclub in the company of three men. Meanwhile, as officials continue their search for Holloway, they have come under fire from many in the travel industry over the way the case in being handled.

Several travel agents across the U.S. have aired concerns that many people could be discouraged to travel to Aruba. A number of American visitors have reportedly called off their trips after learning how the situation is being handled.

In what many experts believe is a biased attitude toward the case, two announcers from a Birmingham radio station in Alabama have been urging listeners to quit plans for traveling to Aruba and to the rest of the Caribbean, citing alleged security problems.

In response to that negative campaign on local U.S. media, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) issued a statement last week in an effort to criticize the blacklisting of Aruba and the rest of the Caribbean islands.

In speaking on national radio last week, Nelson Oduber, the island´s Prime Minister, said that he was deeply concerned over the negative effect the Holloway matter would have on the island´s tourism product and its 97,000 people, who depend heavily on tourism.

Some are now expressing the view that the authorities are more concerned about the harm done to the country´s image rather than seeking justice for Holloway.

Either way, the Happy Island needs to do some serious damage control before this case goes out of hand and grey clouds roll over the skies of this lovely Caribbean travel destination.