Tiara Air just opened a new service center at Sun Plaza, which is easily accessible and offers ample parking space.

Tiara Air operates multiple daily flights to and from Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire and Punto Fijo, Venezuela, flying very spacious commuter aircrafts, Short 360, with 36 seats.

The airline’s tag line “On Time, Convenient and Sympatico,” reflects its operational philosophy and its dedication to customer service and customer satisfaction.

Booking flights and soliciting information about Tiara Air is now very easy at Tiara Air’s Wayaca Service Center, at Tiara Air’s Airport Ticket Office and at any of Aruba travel agencies. On-line bookings are also available on www.tiara-air.com

The new Tiara Air Sun Plaza Service Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Telephone : +297 583 4307; Fax number: +297 583 5994.

Story submitted by Rona Coster

With the start of the new year, the Faculty of Tourism Studies at the University of Aruba recognized and awarded several students with a special certificate for academic excellence. During the annual ‘New Year’s Breakfast Toast’, Dean Peterson wished all students a happy and healthy new year filled with serenity, wisdom, courage and a good sense of humor. Part of the New Year’s Breakfast Toast was to celebrate the academic achievements of a select group of students with grade point averages (GPA) over 3.50.

Students that made the final list include Godelieve Olibrice, Juan Carlos Solis, Oslin Briesen, Juan Pena, Gina Gonzalez, Maria Teresa Rios, Christine Dammers, Marielle Lacle, Diana Croeze, Stefan Oosterwaal, Rocio Burgos, Raymondt Pimienta, Carolina Raven, Carlos Terranova, and Milagros Yarasca.

Ms. Diana Herrera was awarded best academic semester performance with a GPA of 4.00, thereby enlisting her on the distinguished President’s List. The Faculty of Tourism Studies congratulates all students with their achievements, and wishes them a productive year as they set out to conquer their dreams.

Mr. Jazz, the much anticipated Cuban flavored jazz club is now open weekends, offering live music, cocktails and dance, at Paseo Herencia, adjacent to the movie theaters.

The club is styled A La Havana, evoking early 20th century colonial ambiance and will also offer the highly acclaimed cuisine of Chef Vittorio Muscariello in the very near future, after a period of soft-opening.

The exclusive jazz club and steak house, was created thanks to the collaboration of three men who all share a deep passion for the art of jazz and the celebration of the senses.

Chucho Valdes, a world-renowned jazz pianist from Havana, Cuba, developed the Mr. Jazz concept with the intention to share the rich artistic history of Cuba with others through music and dance.

Vittorio Muscariello brings his 30 years of master chef experience to the venture by providing an innovative and eclectic menu offering both Cuban-style and international dishes.

Dan Oduber, a famed Aruban architect and real estate developer contributes his elegant sense of style and tropical sophistication.

Pictured here, guests truly experiencing the charms of Old Havana, at the club this past weekend. The architectural design with the cozy balcony cigar lounge, and a starlit ceiling that grants the illusion of sitting in a real open-air patio with the clear sky of a tropical Cuban night overhead, is memorable and the house band’s repertoire of Dixieland, big band, contemporary, Latin, and Afro-Cuban jazz music, is impressive.

Located downtown on L.G. Smith Boulevard, the Renaissance Mall is Aruba’s premier Mecca for serious shoppers.  This climate-controlled center features 120 stores—from upscale boutiques offering the finest fashions in clothing, jewelry, and other accessories to casual fashions, quality beachwear, and souvenirs, along with fine perfumes, cosmetics, cigars, and liquor.

New retailers have recently opened their doors at Renaissance Mall, including the fashion house of Aldo, a very popular brand of shoes, known for comfortable, well-made footwear at reasonable prices.

Aldo will soon be joined by Women’s Secrets for lingerie and sleepwear; and Loewe, for upscale, designer leather goods, an initiative by one of Aruba’s foremost businessmen, Leo Correa and his wife, who is an interior designer.

The Correas report opening day at Aldo featured long lines wrapped around the block and that the Aruba store broke company records world wide.

Go in to check the wide selection for men and women with 365 styles on display!

Story submitted by Rona Coster

Eco Destination Management celebrated two decades on the island just recently, with founder Wichita Villacres, Owner and C.E.O., orchestrating a day of festivities for her staff members.

Wichita started her career in the worldwide shipping industry and moved to Aruba in 1982. She saw the need for a destination management company here and with that in mind, she taught herself the business, and by 1987, founded Eco Destination Management Services of Aruba.

In 1992, she was named ‘Woman of the Year,’ for her contributions to making the island a true meeting and incentive destination, a market which had never been fully realized before her efforts.

In her quest to explore the possibilities for Aruba, she was recognized in 1990 for her creativity by the Society of Incentive Travel Executives, SITE, with two Crystal Awards, one for organizing legendary Arubadam, a street carnival party, in the heart of Oranjestad and for flawless handling of a 5-night incentive program, for an oversize group.

In addition to her involvement with her business and her family, Wichita is always deeply committed to the community, working in a number of organizations on the betterment of the industry and the island.

She was a board member of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association, AHATA; a director of the Society of Incentive Travel Executives, SITE, Caribbean Chapter; President and founder of the Aruba Tourism Scholarship and Awards Foundation; member of Meeting Professionals International, MPI, and member of International Special Event Society, ISES, as well as member of Association of Destination Management Executives, and the SKAL Club, which she recently rejoined, in Miami.

In 2002, Wichita purchased the South East Florida Destination Management Franchise from PRA Destination Management, and by 2006 not only surpassed PRA’s yearly goals but also grew exponentially and became well established within the Florida community.

Hard working, driven and fun, Wichita is an inspiration to those who meet and work with her, she always strives to become the best at whatever she sets out to do.

True to her credo “there is no mountain too high to climb,” it is always entertaining to watch her operate!

Pictured here Wichita and Aruba’s Minister of Tourism Eng. Edison Briezen at a recent Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino penthouse gala affair in which ECO Destination Management Services of Aruba celebrated 20 years and recognized the minister for his from-the-get-go support and endorsement.

Story submitted by Rona Coster

Brickell Bay Beach Club Aruba recently invited the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Authority President and CEO, Rob Smith, to visit its fully renovated guest rooms and suites.

Smith, accompanied by AHATA’s Director of Membership Sanju Daryanani, was welcomed on premises by Juan Keyter, Sales and Marketing Manager and by General Manager Lucia Fernandez.

Keyter reports the resort underwent complete renovations and now offers contemporary accommodations, combined with a tranquil ambiance and a great level of comfort.

Brickell Bay Beach Resort features 100 superior boutique hotel rooms which are ideal for corporate and leisure travelers, with three restaurants on property, two bars, a fresh water swimming pool, room service, complimentary beach shuttle and beach lounges and services on the resort’s private Palm Beach oceanfront, 24 hour internet service and on-demand airport transfers.

The resort also offers very impressive and comfortable top-floor suites, which were recently redone.

As proud member of AHATA, Brickell Bay Beach Club shares in recommending and advancing the goals contained in AHATA’s mission statement, aimed at achieving sustainable growth for the Aruba tourism industry.

The Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association also enables its members to enhance their business performance by providing them the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with all its business partners. AHATA members have access to up to date statistics, reports, calendar of events, and other useful business intelligence. The various AHATA committees, manned by members, are very active and advise the board on a great number of issues that AHATA either directly implements or becomes an advocate to the Government on behalf of the constituents.

Story submitted by Rona Coster

Double digit percentage traffic growth and the highest quarterly revenue generating passengers (RGP) figures in the last seven (7) years, simply put, Queen Beatrix International Airport made history in 2007. Both Passenger and aircraft movements were up compared to fourth quarter 2006 by 19.9% and 26% respectively. Passenger RGP figures for October, November and December were 16.4%, 18.3% and 24.6% higher than the same months in 2006. Cumulative PGP passenger figures have been the highest they have ever been during the last seven years during October, November and December of 2007 punching in at 739,806, 815,958 and 902,874 tanslating into a record 11.7% year end 2007 increase over 2006.

As with passenger figures, monthly aircraft movements during the final quarter of 2007 hit record highs. October, November and December showed a 15%, 18.4% and 36.5% growth over the same months in 2006. Total aircraft movements increased with 8.1% to 35774 for 2007 compared to 2006.
All main tourism markets have shown an increase during the forth and final quarter of 2007 compared to 2006. Latin America, that struggled during the first 6 months of the year bounced back with a vengance at a 77% increase over fourth quarter 2006, December showed an astounding 109.7% increase. The majority of the growth in Latin America came from Venezuela with the incentive to obtain US currency being a major influence on the huge increase. North America, the Netherlands Antilles and Europe showed quarterly results at 8.5%, 19.7% and 21.7% respectively.

North America has seen additional scheduled service from Boston and Washington, Dulles with higher aircraft yields overall and destination branding efforts continuing to increase the passenger flow traffic. Spirit Airlines launched November 10, 2007 from Fort Lauderdale and Vacances Sunquest launched scheduled charter service from Montreal to Aruba on December 21, 2007. From the European market we have seen the increase of Martinair service to twice weekly from Amsterdam. In Latin America, Aserca and Avior have added service and major charter frequencies from Venezuela. In addition, AAA welcomed Venezolana Airlines from Maracaibo as a new airline partner servicing Aruba twice daily from Caracas and Maracaibo.

“Our hard work and the commitment of our entire team have led to these fantastic quarterly and year end figures” a proud Peter Steinmetz, Managing Director Aruba Airport Authority N.V., said. “Our dedicated team made it happen and we look forward to a strong 2008 together with our partners Aruba Tourism Authority and the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association. 2008 will see us focusing our efforts on maintaining air service and targetting specific air service potential areas. Fuel prices, airline merger speculations, US economic resession potential and presidential elections, the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing and the European Soccer Championship will have effects on tourism. However, we are confident that 2008 will be a strong year for Aruba and we are happy to contribute to the welfare of the destination.”

Aruba Kicks of 54th Carnival Season with Caribbean Festivities, Parades, Contests, Concerts & More!

At 11:11 a.m. on November 11, 2007, Aruba officially announced the beginning of the 54th annual Carnival season. The planning has kicked off and Aruba is gearing up for the biggest celebration of the year, starting on January 5 and culminating with the exciting Grand Carnival Parade on Sunday, February 3. Aruba’s Carnival season features festive parades, colorful costumes, fantastic floats, exciting contests, amazing musical performances and much more! Visitors to the Caribbean island will be enchanted by the celebratory atmosphere and constant festival activities, sure to make any vacation to the island paradise even more unforgettable. Aruba invites travelers to put on their party hats and become honorary Arubans during Carnival and discover the wonders of the season with the friendliest people, most beautiful beaches and best nightlife in the Caribbean. Isn’t that a reason to celebrate?

Some highlights of the 2008 Carnival season include:

January 5 – Aruba’s Torch Parade
The first official parade of the carnival season, Aruba’s Torch Parade lights the streets of the capital city of Oranjestad and sets the mood for the weeks of festival activities ahead.

January 12 – Aruba’s Grand Tumba Contest
Tumba is a type of music native to Africa that has been infused with Caribbean rhythms. Local bands and singers showcase original musical compositions and lyrics and compete for the Tumba King or Queen title.

January 24 – Aruba’s Carnival Queen Election
Young women compete for the honor of leading the Grand Parade as Carnival Queen, one of the most important Carnival representatives. The election is marked by lavish production numbers and is headed by a panel of local and international judges.

January 26- Aruba’s Spectacular Lighting Parade
Aruba’s favorite evening carnival parade is a visual treat. Thousands of tiny lights are incorporated into costumes, road pieces and floats, bringing an added dramatic effect to an already stunningly, creative display. Live bands accompany the various participating carnival groups. Held in downtown Oranjestad, beginning at 8:00 pm.

January 27 – Children’s Grand Carnival Parade
This children’s parade allows hundreds of the island’s youngest Carnival enthusiasts to show off their dancing skills and colorful costumes.

January 25 – Dia de Betico (Betico Croes Day)
On the day of his birth, Aruba pays tribute to its greatest statesman. The late Gilberto Francois “Betico” Croes helped Aruba obtain its “Status Aparte” (separate status) within the Dutch Kingdom. This official holiday features various sporting events and games throughout the island.

January 29- Tourist Night and Steelband Show
Spectacular night featuring a talented steel band show with great carnival costumes at Paseo Herencia starting at 7 p.m.

February 1- Carnival Showdown Window to the World
For the first time ever, Aruba’s Grand Carnival parade is highlighted with a concert featuring the Caribbean “Diva,” Allison Hinds, will present to Aruba, and the world, her hot Calypso music at the Aruba Entertainment Center.

February 2 – Jouvert Morning
Carnival’s biggest “jump-up,” this extravaganza features local musical bands on floats making their way through the streets of San Nicolas (Aruba’s oldest city). Set the alarm clock: this exciting jump-up begins at 4 a.m. and lasts until the sun comes up.

February 3 – 54th Annual Grand Carnival Parade
The largest and most impressive of Carnival parades makes its way through the capital of Oranjestad on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. The parade is a feast for the eyes, complete with live music, incredible and unique floats and elaborate costumes, all handmade.

Known as “one happy island” for good reason, the little island of Aruba is truly an international paradise with a character all its own. Along with its legendary days of sunshine and sugary beaches, it boasts and excellent and varied cuisine with the freshest of fish and seafood a common theme. Food on Aruba ranges from the most elegant French and Belgian restaurants serving caviar, fine wines and foie gras, to Latin-spiced Brazilian churrascharias with their natural-charcoal grilled meats, homestyle Cuban complete with authentic Cuban cigars, old-time Dutch and traditional Aruban served in historic buildings, and even Indonesian, which though it may come from far across the ocean, shares a common Dutch heritage with Aruba.

One hundred thousand people from more than sixty ethnic groups live in harmony on the island, which is a colony of the Netherlands, making for a vibrant, multi-dimensional society. The island’s inhabitants are a unique mélange of people from Latin America, Europe, Indonesia, India, Africa, Spain, Portugal, Sephardic Jews, and more. The native language, Papiamento, a blend of Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, African, and Indian, is only spoken on the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao). The typical Aruban also speaks, reads, and writes the official language, Dutch, English, and Spanish fluently, and many also speak French and German.

This book is both an introduction to and a love letter to Aruban cooking, its fine restaurants, international flavors, and easy-going island free and easy lifestyle. The reader will be guided to the best Restaurants of Aruba by Franz Sydow, successful restaurateur, sommelier. Mr. Sydow, who is Food and Beverage Director of the top-rated Westin Aruba, really knows his way around the kitchen, while co-author Aliza Green, is the award-winning author of six cookbooks and a longtime chef who has learned to love the food of Aruba in her many visits to the island.

Here are fiery Madame Janette peppers—named after a famed local bordello owner, Coecoei liqueur—with its spicy anise flavor, and herbs like culantro and lemongrass. A local shrimp farm raises organic head-on shrimp served at the best local restaurants and those who get to the local fishmarket on time get the best fish. Supermarket shelves are laden with everything from French truffle oil, Italian risotto, Dutch butter cake mix and Gouda cheese of every age and flavor, to Indonesian curry ketchup, Brazilian farofa, Venezuelan arepas, Surinamese snacks, along with a slew of exotic tropical fruits and vegetables, and an impressive selection of wines and liquors.

The book features one hundred well-tested recipes ranging from cocktails and snacks through soup, seafood, meats, desserts and baked goods, including chef creations, ethnic specialties, traditional Aruban dishes, and Dutch style cakes and cookies with Mr. Sydow’s specially selected wine and beer recommendations, drawing on his extensive knowledge of the finest Chilean, Argentinean and Spanish wines along with and island availability local Aruban beers and island rums.You can buy it in the participating restaurants: Amazonia, Aqua Grill, Blossoms, Buccaneer, Cuba’s Cookin’, Flying Fishbone, Hostaria da Vittorio, Le Dome, moomba Beach Club, Pago Pago, Papiamento, Pelican Nest, waterfront Crabhouse, Windows on Aruba. You can also find it at the Kong Hing Supercenter, La bodega Wine store, Playa Liquor, Aruba Trading, Arion Wine Company, and Pepia est wine store. The price of the cookbook is $35 plus taxes.

Story submitted by Rona Coster