Q & A with Myrna Jansen, Managing Director of the Aruba Tourism Association

In recent weeks, Aruba was home to the largest tourism marketing event held every year in the region: the Caribbean Marketplace. In addition to the recognition for having been picked to host this major gathering, the Island Where Happiness Lives took advantage of this opportunity to unveil a far-reaching plan of hotel refurbishment and bit flips in terms of tourist infrastructure. These efforts will surely lead this hot Caribbean destination to revamp its image and lure a larger amount of visitors in coming months.

Q.- What has meant to Aruba to be the host nation of the Caribbean Marketplace?
A.- It was a great honor for us to welcome all delegates from CHA and CTO. This edition of the Caribbean Marketplace gave Aruba a good opportunity to relaunch its image in a number of occasions and in different ways, from the airport all the way to the event’s venue. We cashed in on the presence of so many international journalists to show them around and take a firsthand look at Aruba, provide them with updated information about the remodeling of hotels and some major transformations going on in the local tourist infrastructure. I think the 2007 Caribbean Marketplace has helped put Aruba back on the map among tour operators, journalists and delegates from around the world.

Q.- How many hotel rooms are there in Aruba right now?
A.- Aruba has a stock of 7,100 hotel rooms, but this figure is going to ramp up this year as soon as RIU opens its new lodging on the island with 450 rooms. I believe that by the end of 2007, Aruba is going to count on 1,000 more new rooms for tourists.

Q.- What’s Aruba’s current population and what’s the actual breakdown between local residents and foreigners?
A.- Aruba’s population is more or less 100,000 inhabitants, with approximately 30 percent of immigrants who have come to this country to pitch a hand in the economy, working mostly in the hotel sector. They’re also giving the best of their hospitality to our foreign visitors.

Q.- How many cruise liners are docking in Aruba every year and how many passengers are coming abroad?
A.- Last year was a pretty successful period for the island nation’s cruise industry with over 340 calls and a grand total of 570,000 tourists. It was no doubt the best year for Aruba’s cruise industry.

Q.- Are there any plans in the offing to enhance the seaport?
A.- Yes. That’s as a matter of fact one of the biggest infrastructure projects.

Q.- Aruba continues to be the Caribbean’s safest travel destination in which tourists can walk freely down the streets. How do you manage this security and safety levels without putting cops on the beat?
A.- Aruba is a very hospitable nation that brags with having great safety and security. One of Aruba’s major strengths is the educational level of the population and high living standards that certainly put crime and wrongdoing out of the way. In the same breath, the local population and the immigrants are kindhearted, hospitable and nice people. Tourists notice that, too and feel safe in this environment.

Q.- How many tourists visit the island every year?
A.- The number of visitors coming to the island is in the neighborhood of 738,000 on a yearly basis, that coupled with some 570,000 cruise passengers add up 1.3 million tourists every year.