Visitors From UK

Otmar E. Oduber, Aruba’s new Minister of Tourism, Transportation & Labor, conducts a ribbon cutting ceremony with James Kogutek, Senior Manager, Strategic Planning for AirTran Airways, at the gate welcoming AirTran’s inaugural flight between Atlanta and Aruba, at Queen Beatrix International Airport on December 19, 2009. AirTran’s new non-stop weekly service is being operated on Saturdays. AirTran Airways is also launching new weekly non-stop service between Orlando and Aruba on January 9, 2010.

Aruba’s own Balashi Beer celebrated 10 years with lots of activities throughout the month of October. One of the main events was the open house day on October 25th at the Balashi Brewery, which produces 15,000 balashi beer bottles per hour. Other activities scheduled on that day included folkloric dances and performances by local bands. Balashi Brewery also contributes to the environment by donating a fixed amount to the StimAruba Foundation for every empty bottle or case returned for recycling.

Bringing its One Happy Island message to ExCel in a convoy of branded London

Oranjestad, November 7, 2007.The Aruba Tourism Authority launched its 2006 winter advertising campaign today, by bringing its One Happy Island message to ExCel in a convoy of branded London taxis.

The three-month campaign, worth around £70,000, includes 75 London cabs, as well as travel trade and consumer travel magazine advertising. The artwork depicts Aruba’s pristine white sand beaches and a beaming Aruban bathing lovely with the tag line; The happiest island in the Caribbean, Just a few smiles away.

According to Minister of Tourism & Transportation, Edison Briesen, “We are enthusiastic to move the UK market forward as I believe Aruba is a perfect destination for UK visitors and this new campaign will boost our efforts in getting the job done”.

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Aruba in the Dutch Caribbean is set to become the UK’s newest and hottest wedding destination for UK couples.

This idyllic desert island, still largely undiscovered by the British, has not previously allowed visitors to marry there – although it has been a popular honeymoon destination for American newlyweds.

However, The Aruba Parliament passed a law at the beginning of 2002 enabling couples over the age of 18 to marry on the island, subject to submitting appropriate documents 14 days in advance. The new law took effect on New Year’s Day 2002.

Completed forms and other documentation, including birth certificates, must be submitted by post or in person to Aruba’s Office of the Civil Registry. Birth certificates must have a raised seal. Couples must also submit an apostile, which is a statistical search proving that they are both free and eligible to marry. Both can be obtained from the Office of National Statistics on 0870 243 7788 at a cost of £11 for the birth certificate and £15 for the statistical search.

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Effective December 1, 2002, KLM intends to enhance its network to the Dutch Antilles and Aruba. The emphasis will be on increasing flight frequency, simplifying the structure and increasing the number of nonstop flights to and from the Leeward Islands.

Previously, multiple destinations on the Dutch Antilles were often bundled into round-trip flights (for example: Amsterdam-Aruba-Curaçao-Amsterdam), it now appears that increasing numbers of KLM passengers prefer nonstop flights. Effective December 1, 2002, five nonstop flights a week will be operated between Amsterdam and Curaçao using B747-300 equipment. Thrice-weekly nonstop flights will be operated to Aruba using MD 11 equipment. The stopover destination of the daily Amsterdam-Lima flight (currently Aruba) will be relocated to Bonaire. The adjustments will also mean that KLM will operate twice-daily nonstop flights to Bonaire using MD11 equipment, given that the stopover destination of the daily Quito flight is already Bonaire.

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The Aruba Tourism Authority has been flooded with enquiries since direct flights went on sale with First Choice in summer 2002. Starting next May, Air 2000 will operate weekly services alternating between Gatwick and Manchester, with a flight time of 11 hours.

Hayes & Jarvis is the latest big operator to feature Aruba, in its worldwide brochure launched in July 2002.

Three years ago Aruba was an unfamiliar destination in the UK market until the tourism authority took the decision to promote the island in the British market. Since then visitor numbers have soared by 40 per cent, with next year’s charter expected to provide a further boost.

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