Aruba Product Update - December 2014

Transcription

Below we offer a synthesis of some of the most prominent
and important news during the month of December 2014
Aruba Product Update
December 2014
The Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA)
is the Destination Marketing
Organization for Aruba.
Our Mission:
To be an innovative and effective
DMO that positions the brand
Aruba as a premier tourism
destination, which meets interest
of it’s stakeholders.
Our vision:
For the ATA to be recognized
as the leading and cutting
edge Destination marketing
Organization
Core Values:
Empowerment Productivity
& Ownership Professional
Respect Fun & Passion.
1
ATA News
One Million Stay-Over Visitors in 2014
One happy island of Aruba celebrated one
huge milestone, Wednesday, Dec. 17. For the
first time in history, the destination welcomed
its one-millionth stay-over visitor in a year –
and JetBlue passengers traveling from New
York to Aruba that morning were surprised to
discover this lucky individual was on their flight.
To celebrate this unprecedented milestone,
Aruba treated all passengers aboard Jetblue
557 to a festive day of gifts and appreciative
gestures, starting with an elaborate beach setup at the JFK departure gate and concluding
with a joyous reception at Reina Beatrix Aruba
International Airport.
“This was a special day in our small but glorious
island’s history,” said Aruba Tourism Authority
Aruba Product Update December 2014 - For more information visit www.aruba.com
(ATA) CEO Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes. “Over the
last 50 years, Aruba has transformed from a
quaint Dutch Caribbean island into a thriving
tourist destination, and it meant the world
to our local people to celebrate a milestone
alongside some of our many valued visitors.”
Following take-off, JetBlue flight attendants
helped kick off the party by raffling two future
air tickets to Aruba and distributing small
gifts on behalf of ATA to all passengers. The
travelers, eager to discover who among them
was the lucky one-millionth, received a grand
welcome upon landing with an official water
salute by the Aruba Fire Department and a
lively greeting outside the gang way by Carnival
dancers and Steelband performers.
Index View Print Exit
The excitement escalated in Reina Beatrix
Aruba International Airport when the onemillionth passenger, was finally identified. A
buzzer sounded to cue a brass band and Harki
Dhaliwal was personally welcomed by Aruba’s
prime minister, minister of tourism, CEOs of ATA
and the airport authority and Aruba Hotel and
Tourism Association (AHATA) representatives.
The celebration continued outside the
terminal during a reception attended heavily
by local Arubans – during which the one
millionth visitor received two JetBlue tickets
to return to Aruba, an engraved plaque and
several complementary dinners and tours to
enjoy while on-island. Whisked away to the
Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino, Harki
Dhaliwal received one final surprise inside
the hotel – a huge welcome by all front-end
employees and upgraded accommodations.
“This truly was a joyous celebration, not only
to recognize our one-millionth visitor, but also
to recognize the decades of perseverance of
our friendly locals,” said Minister of Tourism
Otmar Oduber. “These key individuals include
our early visionaries, fearless innovators and
entrepreneurs, government and extensive
private sector members and the thousands of
employees who make up the heartbeat of our
great tourism industry.”
2
ATA Creates a Cultural Mecca in New York
ATA, together with Zimmerman Agency, US
PR firm for Aruba, presented a taste of “One
Happy Island” to prominent journalists and
bloggers in New York City. Minister of Tourism
and Culture Otmar Oduber was the host for this
event during which different aspects of culture,
folklore and art were introduced. A unique,
happy and modern ambiance was created at
the Carriage House Center for the Arts. The
building, inspired by Dutch architecture, was
transformed into an Aruban cultural center.
Well-known Aruban artist Elisa Lejuez invited
guests to a 30-minute “Eagle Beach Sunset”
painting session. Chef Matt Boland’s dinner
featured traditional Aruban fare including pan
bati and funchi, during which he explained the
ingredients and preparation. Entertainment
during dinner featured an exciting Carnaval
show and singer Michelangelo Koolman.
Guests enjoyed the cocktails of mixologist AJ
Tromp, inspired by the island and named after
local sites.
This special event concluded with interchanges
with Aruba’s cultural ambassadors including
sharing of the island’s best kept cultural secrets.
ATA introduced the hashtag “#ArubaCultura” and
invited guests to use this to share their photos
and impressions of the evening. Each guest was
given a goody bag with a souvenir representing
the island’s art, culture, music and folklore.
ATA Employees Observe World
Diabetes Day
On November 14, World Diabetes Day, Aruba
Tourism Association joined millions of people
around the world to raise awareness about
the disease and its prevention. ATA employees
dressed in the color blue to show their
solidarity with this international initiative, and
formed a circle in front of the ATA building on L.
G. Smith Boulevard. This followed their efforts
during the month of October in conjunction
with breast cancer month.
For the years 2014 – 2016, the International
Diabetes Federation and World Health
Organization will focus on healthy living as a
means to prevent diabetes. Aruba Tourism
Authority wholeheartedly believes in the
contribution of every person, whether in tourism
or not, to make a positive impact on the island,
the visitor experience and the economy.
3
Dr. Samar Yorde of Venezuela
ATA recently invited Dr. Samar Yorde from
Maracaibo, Venezuela, an obesity specialist
with her own product line of healthy food. Her
television show “Soy Saludable” (Spanish: I
am healthy) has major influence in Venezuela
with more than 500,000 followers on Twitter,
Instagram and Facebook.
She also featured activities at the Aruba
Paddleboard School, beach tennis, nature
hikes, bike rentals at Aruba Active Vacation,
swimming, and UTV tours with De Palm tours.
Treatments at Larimar Spa and Spa del Sol
were highlighted, as well as natural fruit and
vegetable shakes at Manchebo Beach Resort.
Dr. Samar recorded 22 different episodes of
her program in Aruba highlighting healthy
options on Aruba. Restaurants included Dushi
Bagels, Papillon Restaurant, Papiamento,
Texas de Brazil, Cilo, Pinchos Grill, White
Restaurant, Aquarius Restaurant, Cubas
Cooking, Flying Fishbone, Hostaria da Victorio,
Taste of Belgium, The Kitchen Restaurant, El
Faro Blanco, Screaming Eagle, and Old Man
and The Sea.
Perfect for a day at the beach, Dr. Yorde
featured healthy snacks available at local
markets, supermarkets and shops. She also
invited Chef Christobal Sanchez (Taste of
Belgium), Chef Jeanie Ball (Old Man and the
Sea) and Chef Erwin Husken (Screaming Eagle)
to prepare a healthy three-course menu.
Aruba Shines at the SITE Global
Conference
Aruba Tourism Authority was one of
the gold sponsors at the SITE (Society
for Incentive Travel Excellence) Global
Conference for the prestigious Crystal
Awards recognizing outstanding event
planners. Representatives of more than
thirty countries participated in the global
conference in Holland.
Journalists from Hollands Glorie
The well known Dutch magazine Hollands
Glorie visited the island to provide readers with
a closer look at all that Aruba has to offer. It is
the first time that the magazine, which has been
traditionally focused on Holland is taking a look
at fashion, design, art, cuisine and other cultural
elements in Aruba and the Caribbean.
During their stay, the press group engaged
in different activities including an island tour
by ABC Tours, a walk through the National
Park Arikok, a taste of various restaurants,
shopping in downtown Oranjestad, an evening
at the Bonbini Festival and visit to the Aruba
Aloe Factory. They also experienced Stand Up
Paddleboard at Aruba Surf and Paddleboarding
School and a snorkeling trip with Tranquilo
Sailing. The journalists stayed at Paradera Park
Apartments.
Providing entertainment to the 250
executives were Datapanik band and Vicente
Ras, and professional choreographer and
dancer Aneudi Cabral and dance group.
Also present were Ken Wolff and Kenneth
van Bochove, talented young Arubans in film
and production. Ken is a visual artist living
in Amsterdam who created a promotional
clip of the island. Datapanik gave guests a
unique flavor of Aruba’s music, language,
tradition and culture, mixing traditional
with modern elements. Their presentation
reflected the spirit of “One Happy Island”.
Michael Lampe of Datapanik commented
at how special it was to present Aruba’s
music to a global audience. He showed
how traditional music is mixed in a modern
context with historical elements.
“Aruba’s name resonated during the
conference and we hope to see even
more companies selecting the island for
incentives and meetings,” stated Jerusha
Rasmijn, ATA’s specialist in this area.
4
Awards
Hostaria da’ Vittorio
Travel Partners from Argentina and Chile
To promote Aruba in various countries around the
world, ATA recently invited ten tour operators from
Chile. Ever since ATA opened a tourism office there
two years ago, tourism from Chile has doubled, due
also to connections from Chile to Aruba provided
by COPA, Avianca and LAN airlines.
The group experienced the Aruba product,
including hotels, restaurants, and island tours,
discovering such landmarks as Alto Vista, the
California Lighthouse and Casibari Rock Formation
as well as the Palm Pleasure catamarán and a
shopping trip to downtown Oranjestad. The tour
operators stayed at RIU Palace Aruba.
Another distinguished group included tour
operators and travel agents from Argentina who
enjoyed their stay at the Brickell Bay Resort and
the Renaissance Aruba Resort where they had the
opportunity to discover Renaissance Island. Their
itinerary included a jeep safari tour by De Palm
Tours, dancing and a show at the Bonbini Festival,
and excursions to Baby Beach and the Casibari
rock formation on the Kukoo Kunuku bus. They
stayed at Talk of the Town Resort.
5
For the past 45 years, unrivalled Master Chef
Vittorio Moscariello has prepared superb
classic Italian dishes inspired by regional
traditions in the most prestigious Italian
kitchens around the world.
On December 10, at Hostaria da’ Vittorio, he
was congratulated for his achievement as
recipient of the “Ospitalita Italiana” Award,
as one of the Quality Approved Restaurants
in the World. This honor was bestowed on
Hostaria da’ Vittorio from the Chambers of
Commerce of Italy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Economic
Development, Ministry of Turismo, and
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Italy.
The aim of Ospitality Italiana is to enhance
the authenticity of Italian restaurants abroad,
ensuring compliance with quality standards
typical of world-renowned Italian hospitality.
It is a project that recognizes authentic Italian
restaurants who are “Ambassadors of Taste”
and awards them with the “Golden Q”, the
Ospitalita’ Italiana label of Quality. Some of the
criteria include an experienced professional
Italian chef, use of fresh and imported Italian
ingredients, olive oil and wines; authentic
preparation and culinary techniques, service
excellence, and a providing an overall superb
dining experience. Hostaria da’ Vittorio
is the only restaurant in Aruba and in the
Caribbean to receive this honor and shares it
with a select group of prestigious restaurants
throughout the world.
Guests for this gala evening included
government dignitaries, business executives,
hoteliers, friends and family. The sumptuous
menu included a vast cold antipasto table
with prosciutto di Parma, Salami, Coppa,
Mozzarella fresco, Capresa, Pecorino, Rocca
Reggiano and Talaggio. Hot hors d’oeuvres
included Penne con frutti di mare, Orancini
di Riso, Panzerotti, Salciccia Italia and Pizzas
(Margarita, mushroom and vegetable varieties.
Divine desserts included Baba Napoletano,
Cassata Siciliana, Cannoli Siciliana, Tortaletta
di fruutti di Bosco and chocolate and almond
tarts. Robert y su Solo Banda Show provided
the musical entertainment for a perfect
evening totally enjoyed by all.
Aruba Nominated for
Travel + Leisure 2015
World’s Best Awards
Ewald Biemans
Ewald Biemans, owner of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts,
has earned the title of “Green Hotelier of the Year” in
Caribbean Journal’s 2014 Caribbean Travel Awards. He
is recognized for his leadership in eco-friendly practices
and sustainability, to which he has been committed
since opening Bucuti in 1987.
Tourism” in Grenada. Also this past summer, the
resort took the pledge to be a part of the Water Sense
H2Otel Challenge. Water Sense is a U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) partnership program designed
to help save water for future generations – the first and
only resort outside North America to do so.
When commenting about this accolade, Biemans
responded, “I share this with manager Deborah
Dintelman, green team leader Arnold Solognier, and all
of the associates and guests who care so much for our
“one and only natural resource” – our environment.”
Biemans has led the resort to earning the global
recognition of more than two dozen environmental
awards and certifications. He has been honored
both locally and internationally for his environmental
preservation work. Under his guidance, Bucuti has been
able to achieve 15 consecutive years of Green Globe
Certification and was the first hotel in the Americas to
earn ISO 14001 environmental certification, which it
has maintained every year since 2003.
This past summer, the hotelier led a session aptly named
“Boutique Resorts: Innovations and Eco Certifications
at The Caribbean Symposium for Innovators in Coastal
6
Aruba is on the ballot for
the Travel + Leisure 2015
World’s Best Awards in the
Islands-Caribbean category.
Aruba is listed in the “IslandsCaribbean” category. The
survey is available for voting
now through March 2,
2015 — and results will be
announced in the August
2015 print issue. The winners
and other top vote recipients
of the World’s Best Awards
will also be considered for the
T+L 500 List, which is chosen
by the editors and is one of
the most significant awards
lists in the hospitality industry.
Don’t forget to vote at
http://lworldsbest.wylei.com
Additionally, the following
properties are on the ballot:
• Manchebo Beach
Resort & Spa
• Playa Linda Beach Resort
• Hyatt Regency Aruba
Resort, Spa & Casino
• Radisson Aruba Resort,
Casino & Spa
• The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba
• Aruba Marriott Resort &
Stellaris Casino
Travelife Awards Divi Resorts
Travelife, a fair and affordable system which
helps tour operators and travel agencies
manage and improve social and environmental
impacts, awarded Divi Resorts including
Divi Mega Resort and Tamarijn Mega
Resort, its second annual Gold Certificate
of Excellence for complying with all old and
new sustainability criteria. Marin Bijl, General
Manager Divi & Tamarijn All Inclusive Resorts,
explains that ultimately, when a company
meets the requirements, including the new
Travelife benchmarking standards, it receives a
Travelife award, an initiative launched by travel
giant Tui UK.
The auditor was especially impressed with
social and community efforts, including beach
clean-ups, and Divi ongoing support of the
YMCA in San Nicolas. The in-house activities
of the IMPACT team, designed to improve the
quality of external and internal community
service at Divi’s five resort properties on Aruba
received much praise for living up to its name:
Improving Motivating and Providing the Aruban
Community Together.
Travelife helps its hospitality members develop
good sustainable practices promoting their
achievements within the travel industry and
publishing their findings among European and
international consumers. Travelife is one of the
few programs in existence which values social
policy as highly as environmental management,
and Divi Resorts in Aruba has just obtained
the organization’s stamp of approval for
sustainable holiday accommodations.
Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort on Expedia Insiders’ Select List
Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort has been named to the Expedia Insiders’ Select list for 2014, an
annual ranking of the best reviewed hotels as determined by one of the world’s largest full-service
online travel site. Pulling from nearly two million annual verified guest reviews, the Insiders’ Select
list recognizes the top ranked hotels available worldwide on Expedia.
The 2014 list names only 650 hotels as Insiders’ Select hotels from among the more than 290,000
bookable properties available on Expedia, Inc. websites worldwide and at the moment they are
the only resort on the island that has received this award.
7
Resorts
Playa Linda Beach Resort
The Playa Linda Beach Resort is marking its more than 30 years as a
mainstay in the island’s tourism industry by changing things up through
continuous investment. As a way to kick-off its recent round of new
renovations, General Manager Steven Marra and his management team
and board members cut the ribbon to inaugurate a brand new pool –
the completion of the first project in a list of improvements which will
transform the resort over the next year.
“We remain committed to our guests, timeshare owners and employees,
as well as to the island, in ensuring that Playa Linda continues to be a
premier timeshare property. We want to represent the best the island has
to offer in both upscale accommodations as well as Aruban hospitality,
8
and in doing so, we are pleased to use local contractors and keep our
investment dollars in the local economy,” Marra commented.
The resort’s easily recognizable, many-tiered design has been a part of
the island landscape for decades, and holds the distinction of being one
of the island’s first timeshare options. Several major renovations have
taken place since its opening in 1983, but recent changes present an
additional investment in Playa Linda’s public areas. The new pool is only
a part of Phase I, with Phase II work to begin next year on the main pool
as well as the lobby and the main entranceway into the resort. Plans also
include an expanded pool deck with LED lit pavers, handicap access
ramps, new bathrooms and a kiddie water fountain feature.
Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa
Discover Your Core
Welcome 2015 at Radisson Aruba
The Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa’s Discover Program beginning
this winter includes new activities like archery, available once a week,
and “Rum and Relax”, a rum tasting event with special tapas menu,
cigar corner and live reggae music every Thursday from 8-11 pm at Mira
Solo. Three different rums will be available to sip, or guests can enjoy a
selection of fresh fruit mojitos. Additional Discover Your Core activities
include morning walks, beach runs, and yoga. Discover Your Core runs
from January 5-June 20, 2015.
Radisson Aruba is offering a number of options to ring in 2015. Guests
can enjoy a celebratory dinner at either Sunset Grille or in the Grand
Caribbean Ballroom. Dinner at Sunset Grille includes two glasses of wine.
Menu highlights include Lobster Tail, Beef Tenderloin, Rib-Eye Steak and
Chilean Sea Bass. In the Ballroom, guests will enjoy live music, a meal
that ends with a special dessert station, and unlimited wine and beer.
Dinner is $125 per person for adults, and $65 for children.
Wedding Expo
The resort held a Wedding Expo, organized by Fantastic Destiny
Events, on November 15 in the Grand Caribbean Ballroom. VIPs and
newly engaged couples were treated to an exclusive peek before
opening to the public. Participating vendors included wedding planners,
bridal boutiques, beauty salons, flower shops, cake and patisserie
specialists, make-up artists, hairstylists, decorators, photographers and
videographer, entertainment and more. Resident Wedding Planning
Expert, Lisa, attended to those also interested in booking their weddings
at the Radisson Aruba.
9
The resort is also hosting a Countdown Celebration in the Grand
Caribbean Ballroom. The night will include live entertainment, open
bar, hors d’oeuvres, Champagne toast at midnight, and special kids’
entertainment. The party is from 10:00 pm – 1:30 am and will be $75
for adults, $35 for children. The resort’s star-lit casino will host an after
party with live entertainment until 3:30 am.
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
“Traveling Blood Bag”
Sugar Village
The Aruba Marriott is hosting the “Traveling Blood Bag” on property
for a month to raise awareness amongst associates and to encourage
them to become blood donors. Associates can sign up by filling in one
of the red application cards and submitting it in one of the blood bags
attached to the board of the “Traveling Blood Bag” stand. The local
community is also welcome to the Aruba Marriott to sign up.
As an annual holiday tradition, the Aruba Marriott Resort and Stellaris
Casino is showcasing a beautiful holiday display in the resort lobby
made of pure sugar. This year Executive Chef Teddy Bouroncle together
with Senior Sous Chef Charles Wagner and Executive Sous Chef
Romeo Penacino created a unique handmade sugar village for guests
to enjoy during the holiday season. Constructed with 400 pounds of
powdered sugar, the 5.76 square meters display features 23 delft blue
village houses, a lighthouse, rivers and roads made from scratch. It took
Senior Sous Chef Charles and his team one month to create the sugared
structures and one day to set up the display in the lobby.
During the official introduction of the “Traveling Blood Bag”, Complex
GM Tom Calame, Director of HR Ruthline Tromp and Director of Revenue
Aisling Seberry together with numerous associates eagerly signed up to
be the first Aruba Marriott volunteers to donate blood. The “Traveling
Blood Bag” is an effort of the Blood Bank of Aruba aimed at raising
awareness and recruiting donors by having the stand placed at different
locations and providing informational presentations to the community.
10
The Aruba Marriott Resort invites everyone to pass by and take a photo
with the sugar village and hashtag #arubasugarvillage and #arubamarriott
when sharing the photos on social media.
Restaurants
Brunch at Taste of Belgium
The new Sunday Brunch served weekly at a Taste of
Belgium is a nostalgic tribute to the glory days of the late
Le Dôme restaurant. Sunday brunch starts at 11 am and
continues until 2:30pm.
The new Taste of Belgium brunch is served a la carte with
waiters taking orderds from the special menu. Classic Le
Dôme’s favorites are listed with new and exciting options,
paired with bubbly mimosas. The menu is divided into
breakfast, hot and cold lunch items, as well as desserts.
If you wish to start with a chocolate mousse and finish
with scrambled eggs with salmon or the other way
round, it’s all possible. Menu highlights include Omelette
Bruxelles; hot appetizers, Escargots Le Dôme, Croquette
de Cervettes & Fromage; cold appetizers, Tataki de Thon
or Carpaccio de Boeuf; main courses Poulet à la Kriek,
Carbonades Flamandes, or Médaillons de Fromage Bleu
and for dessert Moulleux Lava Cake, or Profiteroles.
The swinging affair resumes on Sunday, January 11.
Reserve at [email protected]
Bugaloe Beach Bar & Grill
Bugaloe Beach Bar & Grill on the famous Palm Pier offers stunning 360˚ views of the
crystal clear ocean. Open daily from 9am till midnight, guests can start their day with
a delicious cappuccino, stop by to enjoy a casual lunch & dinner or enjoy the nightly
entertainment.
Two daily happy hours were recently added from 5 – 6pm and 10 – 11pm.
Robin Pels graduated in Musical Theater Studies at the prestigious Frank Sanders
Academy in Amsterdam shortly before moving to Aruba, while Benny Holzken travelled
with a theater concert tour along all Dutch theaters as a soloist for 6 years. They serve
drinks and belt out tunes at the same time, without missing a beat or spilling a drop.
The combination of location, relaxing vibes, live music four nights a week, live happy
hour entertainment, and the interaction between staff and guests has not gone
unnoticed. Both Endless Vacation and Cruiseline Magazine named Bugaloe one of the
top 10 best beach bars in the Caribbean. According to The Huffington Post “Bugaloe
is a sexy locale right on the water with that true sense-of-place feel.”
11
Air Travel
Insel Air
Aruban airline InselAir began flights to
Trinidad & Tobago on December 15. Edward
Heerenveen, chief general and international
affairs manager, announced that the carrier
will operate three flights weekly on Monday,
Tuesday and Thursday, during a recent
reception at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference
Centre to welcome the airline.
Medellin, Santo Domingo and Punta Cana.
In the past years we have seen an increase
in business travellers and the perspectives are
great, with future destinations such as Quito in
Peru, Bucaramanga, Medellin, and Cucuta in
Colombia, Manos, Porto Velho and Brazilia in
Brazil, some of them starting in January 2015,”
the executive stated.
In the last five months, InselAir invested in
five extra jet aircraft for flights out of Aruba
and Curacao. “We see full airplanes landing
in Curacao and Aruba, daily in five cities in
Venezuela—Caracas, Las Piedras, Maracaibo,
Barquisimeto and Valencia—Miami, and
Charlotte, Surinam, Bonaire, St Maarten,
“This year, we will have spent about US $1.5
million with our community fund. We are
together responsible for the well-being of more
or less 500 employees and more than 4,000
indirect jobs. This also forms part of what we
do in all the destinations we operate in,” he said.
Airport News
James Fazio
With close to 30 years of experience in airport
management, James Fazio recently moved from New
York to Aruba to become Aruba Airport Authority N.V.’s
new Chief Executive Officer. Fazio began his career at
the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, where he
held several positions in airport operations. In 1997,
when the international terminal of the New York airport
was privatized, Schiphol Group won the contract and
Fazio transitioned as part of the team managing JFK’s
Terminal 4.
Aruba Airport Authority’s new manager said he found
in Aruba a very modern airport with a team of highly
motivated professionals. The partnership with Schiphol
12
Group benefits Aruba in the sense that it is always good
to have outside influences, and Schiphol has “feelers”
that extend all over the globe. “They bring a tremendous
amount of knowledge and value to Aruba’s airport and
then when you mix that with the local knowledge, you
really do have a recipe for success,” he stated.
The strategic cooperation between the Aruba Airport
Authority and Schiphol Group focuses on making
maximum use of Reina Beatrix International Airport’s
commercial potential, to strengthen its financial position
and to assist in further developing the facilities at and
around the airport, in order to develop into one of the
leading airports in the Caribbean.
Aruba Airport Introduces APC’s for US Bound Travelers
Aruba Airport Authority N.V. introduced a new system to check passports
(Automated Passport Control Kiosks) at Aeropuerto Internacional Reina
Beatrix - the only airport in the Caribbean to do so. These kiosks acquired
from Vancouver Airport Authority are BorderXpress kiosks which will
greatly improve the customs process for passengers traveling to the US.
The automated system is available to US passport holders and US
Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) and all Canadian passport holders.
The kiosks will also recognize registration of all passengers from the 38
countries that do not require a US Entry Visa that have a Visa Waiver
completed with ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization),
including Australia, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands and England.
James Fazio, CEO of Aruba Airport Authority, stated, “This is the first
step in a much larger project to streamline the passenger flow at the
airport. This strategic purchase will benefit the nearly 60% of total
departing passenger bound for US destinations from Aruba by reducing
wait times at US CBP pre-clearance and ultimately facilitate a more
positive outbound passenger experience.”
Activities
Barbulet Concierge
Barbulet Concierge, your key to plan your memorable Aruba vacation,
was founded by Freya Kraag in August 2014. Freya has a degree in hotel
management and has been in the service industry for approximately
10 years.
Barbulet Concierge offers a wide range of vacation planning services
such as confirm activities and restaurant reservations, arrange airport
transfers, car rental, accommodation search, grocery shopping,
amenities, babysitting, disability services, pre-arrival, private chef, spa
& fitness and much more.
Freya recognized the growing niche market of vacation rentals and is
mainly focusing on visitors staying in alternative accommodations, the
small boutique hotels and vacation homes.
This market experienced a 30% growth between February 2013 and
February 2014, with 348,963 visitors staying in apartments and private
homes in that period.
Besides the offerings mentioned, Barbulet Concierge provides services
for VIP requests and Wedding arrangements. Personalized service
is most important and all inquires are answered within 24 hours.
www.barbuletconcierge.com or [email protected]
13
Culture
L’America Gallery
Besides presenting art from Latin America
and local artists, L’America Gallery offers a
wine experience. In November, L’America
Gallery, organized two wine tasting
evenings with quality vintages, explanations
by a wine expert and the pairing with tapas.
Private wine tasting evenings are also
offered – a perfect way to celebrate the
holidays with family, friends, colleagues or
business friends.
Nature and Environment
Keeping Aruba Clean
On November 30 at Colegio Felipe B. Tromp in
the district of Noord, Aruba Tourism Authority
showed its support to Serlimar, the government
sanitation department, in their annual initiative
to keep the island clean. This is in accordance
with their belief that, in order to be a pleasant
(“dushi”) tourist destination, Aruba must be a
pleasant place to live.
14
Ample containers to separate trash, whether it
be plant, construction, general or metal items,
are provided on four Sundays in the districts
of Paradera, Noord, Dakota and San Nicolas,
creating an “Environmental Street” where
residents can dispose of their year-end refuse.
ATA is pleased to offer Aruba an easy, free and
responsible way to get rid of trash at the end of
the year, keeping neighborhoods clean.
L’America Gallery’s artist of the month is
Vanessa Paulina, who grew up on Aruba,
Bonaire and Curacao. Her African/Indian
heritage is quite visible in her work. She
studied fashion design and illustration
in the Netherlands. In her “Childhood
Series”, she relives past memories. The
series will probably never have an ending,
as Vanessa loves having her inner child
around. Her “Schizophrenia” series is
filled with nostalgia, with paintings that
speak about vulnerability, healing and
acceptance. Paulina has exhibited around
the world. She also works as a muralist and
has given various international art classes
in Drawing, Painting, Theater and Fashion.
www.vanessapaulina.com
L’America Gallery is located on Italiestraat
behind Certified Megamall.
Gold Coast Villas Aruba
Gold Coast Villas Aruba is the island’s newest masterplanned residential community. While the majority of
homes are occupied by owners, a great number of owned
townhouses and villas are also renting to transient guests.
The growth in demand for vacation rentals prompted the
construction and the sale of Gold Coast’s final phase, the
Boca Druif & Boca Grandi condos.
Real Estate
Villa Royale
Villa Royale, one of the most luxurious villas on Aruba, had its grand opening on
December 1. Guests enjoyed a tour of the magnificent 8-bedroom mansion and garden
while nibbling on hors d’oeuvres and fabulous cocktails by Maurice from Aruba Wine
& Dine Catering.
Villa Royale is perfect for weddings and events with the most amazing lighting, glowing
pool and blue spotlights. Enjoy Aruba in the most luxurious way and in complete privacy
in the Kamay Hills just up the road and around the corner from the Ritz Carlton.
The Italian-marble Grand Villa is detailed for royalty and can comfortably host 25
guests. Eight spacious bedrooms are furnished with stunning European sets and each
room has its own private bathroom. This unique mansion has a million dollar view with
a chef’s dream kitchen, marvelous huge pool, baby pool, lounge, bar, hot Jacuzzi and
nothing left out with an underground wine cellar.
15
36 spacious one storey condos are tastefully appointed
and equipped with the latest energy saving, state-of-theart appliances. The 2 bedroom Boca Druif Condos and 3
bedroom Boca Grandi condos are available on both the
ground and upper floor. The ground floor condos enjoy
a spacious patio while the upper floor condos feature 2
balconies and a private rooftop terrace. The pairing of
beautiful landscaping with ample parking creates a highly
functional yet truly enjoyable recreational living environment.
When completed, Gold Coast will boast over 260
residences, in 2 and 3 bedroom townhouses, single level
3 bedroom condos, and 3 and 4 bedroom villa homes,
set among 26 acres of lush landscaping, picturesque
plazas, and fountains, within the walls of a fully secure
community. The design of Gold Coast Villas Aruba was
conceived by the dynamic Croes family, whose original
vision now results in beauty, quality, style, security, and
convenience, properly financed and well-constructed.
Retail
Pandora Official Aruba Charm
Pandora’s Aruba boutique owners Boolchand’s worked closely with
Aruba Tourism Authority in developing the official Aruba logo charm,
which was launched recently at their boutique at Paseo Herencia. The
evening was dedicated to Mary Joan Foundation, the island’s breast
cancer support group, which received a donation during the wellattended affair.
The Aruba logo charm is unique and only available in 3 stores on Aruba–
at Boolchand’s Digital World at Havenstraat in downtown Oranjestad,
inside Paseo Herencia Mall in Palm Beach, and at the Jewelry Center
(D’Orlahn) on the Boulevard in Oranjestad.
Aruba Aloe
On Friday, November 14, Aruba Aloe held the official grand opening
of its new Aruba Aloe boutique on Main Street (Caya Betico Croes 78)
in downtown Oranjestad, attended by honorary guests including Prime
Minister Mike Eman, Minister of Tourism Otmar Oduber, and tourism
industry professionals.
Managing director Joshua Posner stated, “We are proud and excited
to have a new store on Main Street. We feel that the changes that have
been made to upgrade the Main Street have made it a true gem of the
Caribbean.” Prime Minister Mike Eman pointed out that, while Aruba
Aloe has always been an industry leader and risk taker, its recent move
to Main Street during the early stages of the area’s rejuvenation once
again exemplifies the company’s pioneership.
A ribbon cutting marked the official opening of Aruba Aloe’s 15th retail
store. Champagne, hors d’oeuvres, and steelpan music provided by
local musician Lee Connor were enjoyed by the guests as they perused
the new boutique. Beautifully and refreshingly appointed, the boutique
features locally made furniture from Rustica Designs. Aruba Aloe
has exciting plans for 2015, including new product launches and the
introduction of its products for sale in Europe.
16
Aruba Reusable Bag
Now back in stock,
the
Aruba
Reusable
Bag was developed by
Arubans for Aruba, as a
new eco-fashion design
concept. With its arrival
on the market, the Aruba
Reusable Bag became
the best gift idea and
unique souvenir from
Aruba. The designs on
the Aruba Reusable Bag
include Aruban landmark
and
iconic
elements
such as the California lighthouse, Indian cave paintings,
actual Aruba immigration stamps, the Fofoti, known by
its colloquial name as the Divi Divi tree, and the island’s
famous One Happy Island license plates.
The Aruba Reusable Bag is ethically made from recycled
plastic bottles under fair labor conditions. Bold, bright,
truly useful and everlasting, this eco-shopper is the
perfect solution to help phase-out single use plastic bags,
thus reducing the plastic footprint and going green in
style. Folded into a compact pouch the Aruba Reusable
Bag is your ideal shopping companion. Get yours at The
Coconut Trading co., South Beach Centre, The Juggling
Fish at Playa Linda Beach Resort and The Lazy Lizard
Alhambra location.
“Our mission with the Aruba Reusable Bag is to not
only raise awareness but also actively contribute to the
greening of Aruba’s tourism sector by developing and
offering beautiful, useful and durable eco and people
friendly products,” stated Ing. Jeremy J. Croes MSc,
founder Vision Passion Action.
17
Events
Lionfish and Wine Tasting Fundraising Event
Aruba takes great pride in preserving the natural flora and fauna while at the same time
providing tourists with fun activities and authentic experiences. A good example of this
was the Lionfish and Wine tasting event on November 30 at Hadicurari Beach.
“Lionfish is an invasive species which threatens to displace our local species of fish.
To prevent this from happening, the indigenous Indo- Pacific Lionfish population has to
be controlled,” explains Marine Biologist Byron Boekhoudt. Lionfish is a very tasty, firm
white fish with a higher concentration of heart – healthy Omega -3 fatty acids. Scoring
more health benefits than Red Snapper, Grouper, Mahi Mahi and Wahoo, Lionfish can
be considered the Salmon of Coral Reefs.
The Aruba Marine Park and several on-island businesses and
organizations partnered to host the first Lionfish and Wine
Tasting event. Guests were offered lionfish paired with wines
courtesy of Romar Trading. Aruba Wine and Dine Chefs shared
their tasty dishes and Lionfish recipes. Sushi chef Andriani
Geerman of the Sushi Shap delighted guests with his Lionfish
rolls. Ilja Cybulski, international chef and avid diver, along with
food blogger /chef Joost Boerman circulated tasty and creative
Lionfish dishes, sharing recipes to a sold-out crowd.
Divi Aruba Beach Tennis Open
For an entire week, Eagle Beach was the site of the eighth annual Divi
Aruba Beach Tennis Open, also known as X-treme Games of Beach
Tennis. Participants representing 25 countries in professional and
amateur categories played on 30 courts in a total of 1500 matches,
making it the biggest beach tennis event ever. There were 500 local
and 600 international players registered, including 980 adults and 120
children, compared to last year’s 700 players.
Many players were accompanied by family and friends for this
competitive and fun event, including a group of 500 Brazilians of which
200 were players. Organizers Jochem Ros and Sjoerd de Vries are
very proud of the growth of this event, and also the way in which it has
grown in Aruba and has attracted players from Slovenia, Russia, Japan,
Greece, Portugal and 20 other countries. They recognized the team of
professionals who assist them every year with all facets of organization
resulting in an event of the highest caliber.
Maraike Biglmaier (Germany) and Camilla Ponti (Italy) won in the women’s
category. In the all-Italian men’s final of top 10 professional players,
team Alessandro Calbucci/Marco Garavini was victorious, delighting the
crowd with spectacular smashes. More than 2000 spectators oohed
and aahed in the Amstel Bright Stadium during the incredible rallies of
both close finals.
18
To our tourism partners:
Thank you for providing us
with your updates
To ensure that your news is featured in
the monthly Aruba Product Update of
the Aruba Tourism Authority, please send
information as it becomes available to:
[email protected]
with a copy to:
[email protected]
[email protected]
and [email protected]
by the 25th of each month.
A special thank you to Aruba Daily,
Aruba Today, Columnist Rona Coster
and our tourism partners for
their contributions.
19
Rotary Club Annual Charity Golf Tournament
On Saturday December 6, the Rotary Club
of Aruba hosted its 15th annual Charity Golf
Fundraiser, exceeding all expectations. The
record-breaking event took place at Tierra Del
Sol, with over 120 participating golfers. The
tournament format combines golfers with nongolfers, making for a very fun and competitive
format. There were team prizes for 1st place
sponsored by Digicel, 2nd place sponsored
by AMC Unicon and 3rd place sponsored by
Boolchand’s. There were also two hole-in-one
opportunities, with a Jeep Grand Cherokee
sponsored by Ultimate Automobiles and a
$10,000 Mastercard Black Card sponsored by
CMB. As a consolation, there were also two
nearest to the pins competitions, sponsored
by Pepia Est and Insel.
This year, the event raised over US $ 45,000
for the community, with checks handed over
to Sonrisa for the mentally challenged, YMCA,
SABA for the destitute elderly, the Social Fond
of Colegio Arubano, and more to come.
Premium Sponsors of this fundraiser were Aruba
Airport Authority (AAA), Caribbean Mercantile
Bank (CMB) and Tierra Del Sol (TDS). F&B
sponsors were Compra, Caribbean Overseas,
Aruba Trading, Tropical Bottling and Romar
Trading. facebook.com/arubarotarygolf

Aruba Product Update - December 2014

Transcription

Similar documents

PINK Magazine

Broadcast Quality Video over Wireless

BOLD - Electric Festival

Xavier Times Newsletter

View Our e-Brochure

Takin` it to the Beach!

Price $ 219,000.00 - Aruba Real Estate