Archive for April, 2010

Aruba Cruise Tourism and the Faculty of Tourism Studies Announce their “C.I.A.” – A Cruise Industry Alliance program

Cruise News Thursday, April 29th, 2010

The Government’s Department Aruba Cruise Tourism and the University of Aruba’s Faculty of Tourism Studies have joined forces to establish the ‘C.I.A.’ – Cruise Industry Alliance. The C.I.A. is a strategic alliance based on the power of partnership and collaborative expertise to create a competitive and sustainable (cruise) tourism destination.

This partnership taps in to countless opportunities for both the Faculty of Tourism Studies and the Aruba Cruise Tourism (ACT) to benefit from each other. The first scheduled project will be the launch of the Aruba Cruise Profile (ACP) study 2010, in which Aruba’s Cruise Visitor Profile will be analyzed through a survey that will allow the ACT to gain insight into the experiences, perceptions and behaviors of Aruba’s cruise visitors. This collaborative study will allow for quality improvements and will strengthen marketing and promotional efforts.

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Castro Perez is Decorated by the Queen of Kingdom of Netherlands

Arubans in the News Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

Castro Perez has been Eco-Tourism Manager at the Aruba Tourism Authority since 1988 and was recently decorated by the Queen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in recognition of his efforts on behalf of the environment.

Castro has been the guiding light of the annual Aruba Reef Care Clean-up Project. The 17th edition will take place July 2010. It is the most ambitious environmental clean-up of its kind, in which 1000 local and international volunteers painstakingly remove debris on beaches from north of the California Lighthouse and Arashi in the northwest corner to Baby Beach on the southern tip, as well as more than twenty dive sites along the southwest coast.

A certified PADI Divemaster since 1991, Castro accompanies the press and visiting divers all around the island. He attends regional environmental meetings and international dive shows, promoting Aruba as a dive destination. He was a member of the executive committee of WildAruba, the first national congress for the conservation of Aruban wildlife. Castro supports Aruba’s entry into the internationally-recognized Blue Flag Program, an eco-label for beaches and marinas aimed at raising awareness and protecting such natural resources as coral reefs and turtle and bird nests.

“Aruba remains superior in environmental awareness and the most organized in the region when it comes to clean-ups. To keep up this momentum, I would like to see environmental studies become a permanent part of the elementary school curriculum, emphasizing the importance of recycling and personal responsibility. But most of all, we should each take responsibility for the conservation of our natural heritage.”

MARRIOTT TA HONRA DIA DI TERA HASIENDO UN LIMPIEZA RIBA BEACH Y ACTIVIDAD NAN “GREEN” ASOCIADO NAN Y GUEST NAN A UNI HUNTO

News in Papiamento Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

E siman aki Aruba Marriott a organiza various actividad nan “ green” pa asociado nan y guest nan di hotel honrando e di 16 edishon di “ international earth day”. Riba diaranzon 21 di April e departamento di “grounds” di e 3 propiedad nan di Marriott a organisa nan beach clean up di luna. E guest na di e hotel nan tawata invita pa join e clean up di e luna aki manera un aporte na e dia di tera, dunando un ora di nan vakantie pa asistí na hasi e beach mas bunita.

Marriott’s Ocean Club guests, Ms. Pat Aubin, Ms. Judy Spencer y Ms. Monica Laramee, tres amiga di Vermont y Kentucky, tawata entusiasma y contento di wak con Aruba Marriott ta mustra nan initiativa nan voluntariamente. “E ta un great idea pa involve e guest nan cu e tipo di actividad nan manera un beach clean up”, Judy Spencer ta bisa. Hotel guests Mr. Jyoti y Mrs. Shashi Agrawal di New Jersey tambe a join e actividad aki y nan a hanja cu e tawata un manera masha util pa pasa nan delaster mainta di nan vakantie na Aruba riba beach na un manera un tiki diferente.

Riba Diahuebs 22 di April e recreation department di e resort a organiza un caminata den riba beach gozando di e naturalesa Y pa e mucha nan, e Bon Bini Kidsa Club a traha hunto cu e mucha nan obra nan di man di materialnan recicla, tambe tawata tin pintamento, pintamento di cara y di curpa. Hotel guest Lauren Grava (6) di Massachusetts a pasa hopi dushi trahando obra nan di man traha di materialnan recicla. E actividad nan di dia pa e mucha nan tawata wak e pelicula divertido y educativo Pixar movie Wall-E, cu ta over di un robot chikito recicla. E mucha y nan mayornan a enjoy e peilicula cu popcorn y bebida.

Den e delaster anja nan aki Aruba Marriott tawata hopi atractivo den implementa initiativa nan “green” manera usa lusanan LEDcu ta un temperatura limita programa thermostatico den e kamber nan, carbonnan recicla, speara papel y glas nan y usa aseta cushina pa crea bio diesel. Beach y limpieza di nos isla ta un “cornerstone” di e “Marriott Spirit to Serve our Communities” desde e compania a cuminsa traha na Aruba in 1995. Desde December 2009 e 3 propiedad nan di Marriott a implementa un beach clean up tur luna pa tur asociado nan.
Pa hasi mas uso di e producto nan recicla, Marriott a introduci e eco friendly tas nan, notebooks y copi nan recicla manera regalo pa asociado nan y relashon nan cu cliente nan pa encorasha e pensamento “green”.
Marriott su Hotel Manager Louella Brezovar a duna e voorbeeld di mas mihor riba dia di tera di bisti un uniform recicla. Na cuminsamento e no tawata sigur con comfortabel e uniform aki lo ta . E la dicidi pa purba e carson cu a wordo traha di 25 botter recicla y pa ta honesto bo no ta sinti of wak un diferencia. Mi ta hopi entusiasma cu e iniciativa nan manera esaki Brezovar ta bisa.

Pa conclui e actividad nan di e siman aki ta bay organiza un projecto pa comminidad e Diasabra aki na Santanero Scouting Club na Dakota unda un grupo di asociado lo bay volunta pa hasi un clean up.

Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino tin 411 kamber – e mas espacioso riba isla – cu un balcon priva hopi grandi cu e bista riba e awa nan di e lama di caribe. Riba propiedad tin shete restaurantnan y cafes cu ta facilita diferente tipo di restaurant di casual pa elegante, e casino di mas grandi na Aruba, un 5,500 square spa, un pool cu waterval y un ‘health club’ cu ta ofrece diferente sorto di entertimento. E hotel luhuso den e hotel mes ta Tradewinds Club cu ta e adishon mas nobo na e beachfront resort aki. Pa hanja mas informashon jama Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino at 888-PARADISE of bishita www.arubamarriott.com.

MARRIOTT HONORS EARTH DAY WITH BEACH CLEAN UP AND GREEN ACTIVITIES

Happenings Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

This week the Aruba Marriott organized various ‘green’ awareness activities for associates and hotel guests honouring the 16th edition of the international Earth Day.

On Wednesday April 21st the Grounds department of the three Marriott properties organized their monthly beach clean up. As a part of the Earth Day initiatives hotel guests were invited to join in the monthly clean up, donating one hour of their vacation time to assist in beautifying the beach.

Marriott’s Ocean Club guests, Ms. Pat Aubin, Ms. Judy Spencer and Ms. Monica Laramee, three friends from Vermont and Kentucky, were enthusiastic and pleased to see that the Aruba Marriott showed volunteer initiatives. “It is a great idea to involve your guests with these types of activities such as beach clean up”, said Judy Spencer. Hotel guests Mr. Jyoti and Mrs. Shashi Agrawal from New Jersey also joined in the activities and thought it was a useful way of spending the last morning of their vacation in Aruba on the beach in a slightly different way.

On Thursday April 22nd, the resort’s Recreation Department organized a nature walk on the beach for hotel guests. For the little ones, the Bon Bini Kids Club offered arts & crafts from recycling materials, art colouring, and face & body painting. Hotel guest Lauren Grava 6, from Massachusetts, had a lot of fun creating her own artwork made from recycled material. The final activity of the day for the kids, was watching the fun and educational Pixar movie Wall-E, about a small recycling robot that embarks on a space journey. The children and their parents enjoyed the movie with popcorn and drinks.

Over the past years the Aruba Marriott has been very active in implementing green initiatives such as using LED lightning, low limit temperature programmable thermostats in rooms, recycling carbon, paper and glass separately and using cooking oil to create bio-diesel.
Beach and island clean ups have been a cornerstone of the Marriott Spirit to Serve our Communities since the company started operating in Aruba in 1995. Since December 2009 the three Marriott properties have implemented a monthly beach clean up that associates participate in.

To make more use of recycled products, the Marriott introduced eco friendly bags, note books and recycled mugs as give aways for associates and business relations to encourage ‘green’ thinking.

Marriott’s Hotel Manager Louella Brezovar set the right example on Earth Day by wearing a ‘recycled’ work uniform. “At first I wasn’t sure how comfortable this uniform would be. I decided to try out a pair of pants created out of 25 recycled water bottles and to be honest, you don’t feel or see any difference. I am very enthusiastic about initiatives like this”, Brezovar stated.

To conclude the week’s activities a community project will be organized this Saturday at the Santanero Scouting Club in Dakota where a group of Marriott associates will volunteer in cleaning up.

Top: Hotel guest Lauren Grava (6) from Massachusetts creating her own artwork
made from recycled material at the Bon Bini Kids Club
Above: Group picture, associates and guests after a successful beach clean up

Aruba has a brand new and exciting activity! Skydiving!

General News, Sports in Aruba Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Skydiving Aruba!

Skydive Aruba has been operating since January 5 of this year , operating 7 days per week. Skydive Aruba is a fully licensed and insured skydiving operation specializing in Tandem Skydiving. You can experience the thrill of free-fall at 120mph without the hassle of lengthy training, you are attached to a fully licensed, experienced and highly qualified Tandem Instructor where all you have to do is smile and have fun, screaming is optional!

We also offer a video package where you are the star! We will video tape your entire adventure, it will be professionally edited and placed on DVD, you will receive your video the day of your jump.

Skydive Aruba does provide their own transportation, so we can pick you up wherever you are and deliver you back safely.

We offer group discounts, and you may also purchase a gift certificate which makes for an exciting gift.

For more information, you can contact us at 735-0654, or check out our web site, www.skydivearuba.com.
Blue Skies!

Datapanik Presents Block Party – April 24th

Arts & Culture Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Block Party Supporting Autism Awareness Month
Saturday, April 24th, 7 pm – 12 am
Bus Station Parking Lot O’Stad

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ARUBA GOES ‘GREEN’ DURING FIRST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Arts & Culture Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

‘Think Green’ Initiatives Stay Top of Mind for Organizers

The first Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF), taking place on island June 4-11, is dedicated not only to promoting the understanding and appreciation for the art of cinema and filmmaking, but also to honouring the island’s natural beauties through pro-environmental practices to take place before and during the week-long events.

The festival’s organizers are aware that the film industry, historically, has been at the forefront in raising critical issues for society, including the current concerns about environmental threats from climate change and over-exploitation of resources. To this extent, the Aruba International Film Festival is launching two initiatives in an effort to keep Aruba “green” before, during and after the events.

“The Aruba International Film Festival will be a momentous event, and the island of Aruba is excited to welcome such an eclectic group of people to share the talent of international and local filmmakers,” said Otmar E. Oduber, Aruba’s Minister of Tourism, Labor and Transportation. I am pleased to see that AIFF embraces Aruba’s efforts to go green: we currently have seven hotels that received Green Globe Certification and a number of our beaches working towards receiving Blue Flag Certifications. We applaud the film festival’s excellent example.”

Founders and producers Giuseppe Cioccarelli and Jonathan Vieira have joined with the Arikok National Park Foundation to contribute to maintaining a “Green” Aruba, helping with several projects in the Park:

• AIFF will allocate space for Arikok to set up a booth at the festival where they can inform the public about the initiatives the Park is taking in reforesting and sustaining the plants in the Park, and providing a habitat for Aruba’s natural wildlife. Park Rangers will also be able to enlist volunteers and to organize hiking tours from their booth at AIFF.
• AIFF will sponsor a special Earth Day activity at the Park on April 22nd in which local schoolchildren will be invited to learn about ways to reduce their carbon footprint through conservation and the use of eco-friendly technology. The lesson will culminate in the reforestation of the Hofi Shon Shoco (Mr. Owl’s Garden) area of the park, near the Visitor’s Center. These trees, in turn, will revive the habitat for birds such as the Aruban Parakeet.
• AIFF will pursue the idea of reforesting the Plantation Prins area of the Park with coconut seedlings collected during the cleanup of Daimari Plantation offered by TIARA Air. Additional benefits include the cleaning of the coconut plantation at the Plantation Prins location and instruction on planting a sustainable garden in the Aruba climate.
• AIFF will offer support for the Park Foundation efforts to construct a greenhouse in which to grow trees for Park reforestation. They will do this by encouraging corporate responsibility among the corporate sponsors and vendors at the Festival.

As the host of the Aruba International Film Festival, the organizing team is taking on an extra responsibility by ensuring that its impact on the environment stays minimal. AIFF met with the merchants at Paseo Herencia Mall and established a series of initiatives that will keep Aruba green throughout the festival:

• Recycling bins will be placed around the compound, collected daily and contents recycled.
• Guests will be given tips for Going Green at the Festival.
• Maps for walking to the Festival will be provided.
• Reusable water bottles will be available, to be filled with pure Aruba drinking water.
• Restaurants at Paseo Herencia will be provided with AIFF-branded cups, napkins and other paper products made entirely of recycled and recyclable paper.

For additional information please visit the Aruba International Film Festival website at www.arubafilmfest.com.
For more information about vacations in Aruba, please visit online at www.ARUBA.com or call 1-800-TO-ARUBA.

PACHANGA 10 YEAR SALSA CELEBRATION 2000 – 2010

Arts & Culture Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Pachanga 10 Year Salsa Celebration 2000 – 2010

May 5 – Mambo Jambo at Mambo Jambo
May 6 – Tropical Heat Night at Chino Latino
May 7 – White Night at Perle d’Or
May 8 – Pachanga Celebration Night at Mr. Jazz Aruba
May 9 – Beach Night at Moomba Beach

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CUNUCU CAR AND BIKE EXPO – APRIL 23, 2010

Arts & Culture, News in Papiamento Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Cunucu Car and Bike Expo
23 di April, 2010

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Urataka Center Best Pizza ta presenta nan prome Cunucu Car & Bike expo Diabierna 23 di April. E ta bai un anochi yena cu actividad pa grandi y chikito. Amantenan di auto por experencia autonan classico, muscle cars y hot rods. Tambe tin varios custom bikes cu wordo exponi pa complace fanaticonan.

Un ambiente familiar, na unda muchanan por entretene nan mes cu e “Dyno Jump”. Musica lo ta den encargo di e banda di rock y alternativo “Acoustic Soul” y DJ J-Star.

Bar y cushina lo ta bon surti cu Aruba su miho pizza y tambe e BBQ delicioso di Cooks Restaurant pa solamente Afl. 15,00. Ambiente lo cuminsa for di 7′or te cu 12′or di anochi. Uratka Center ta situa na Santa Cruz y ta conoci di a mantene e hospitalidad Arubiano pa mas cu 40 anja di nan exisitencia.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Arts & Culture, General News Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

Exclusive “A-List“ package provides ultimate escape and red carpet access to first annual Aruba International Film Festival

In honour of the first annual Aruba International Film Festival, which takes place June 4-11, 2010, the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is providing guests with the opportunity to experience the life of the rich and famous with the “A-List Package.” Providing a complimentary night at the exclusive Tradewinds Club, plus access to VIP events with official host Richard Gere, the package offers everything a film-buff needs to experience the first annual festival in style.

The A-List Package Includes:
• 7th night free • Access for two to the Red Carpet Movie Night Opening Event @ Paseo Herencia Theater featuring Richard Gere (June 4th)
• Two VIP tickets to the official Aruba International Film Festival “Bollywood” Gala at the Aruba Marriott (June 10th)
• Exclusive access to the resort’s private lounge and secluded beach area
• Five complimentary gourmet servings throughout the day
• Open bar daily from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Deluxe amenities such as a pillow menu, free internet access and pressing services
• Ocean view accommodations with spacious private balcony

“With the excitement of the festival, we wanted to offer our guests the chance to take it to the next level and receive glitzy, Hollywood-style treatment in this gorgeous Caribbean setting,” says Karin Swiers, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Aruba Marriott. “With VIP access to the exclusive Aruba International Film Festival events and luxurious Tradewinds accommodations and amenities, the A-List package will leave guests feeling like movie stars.”

Package rates start at $580 / night and require a minimum seven-night stay in Tradewinds Club. Offer is available to book now through June 3, 2010, for travel June 3-14, 2010, and based on availability. To book the package, call (800) 223-6388 or visit www.arubamarriott.com and request promotional code FVJ. For more information on Tradewinds Club visit www.tradewindsclubaruba.com. For more information on the Aruba Film Festival, please visit www.arubafilmfest.com or follow them on Twitter@arubafilmfest. Also connect with Aruba Marriott’s official Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ArubaMarriott

Left: Tradewinds Club, offering magnificent views and upscale amenities
Right: Marriott’s Grand Ballroom, location of the Bollywood Event in June