Aruba’s Time Share Industry represents 20% of our GDP
A recent forum at the Universidad di Aruba celebrated 40 years of timeshare in Aruba, but Raymond Maduro believed it’s 43 years, because the seed was planted as early as 1975, when the Aruba beach Club was conceived.
Ursell Arends, President of Aruba Time Share Association talked about the next 40 years with the new generation at the helm and Ronella Tjin Asjoe Croes, the CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority, joined him with some congratulatory remarks stating that timeshare owners have represented an average of 26% of our stayover visitors, over the last 20 years. That is huge! It is also typical of that crowd of repeat visitors to genuinely love the island and its people.
Visiting full professor Robin di Pietro, University of South Carolina, USC, then presented her findings about the state of the Aruba Timeshare industry from a study made with the help of University of Aruba students in 2017.
The last part of the evening was dedicated to hotelier Jan Van Nes, with a surprise tribute given by Raymond Maduro, Greg Peterson, Astrid Muller and Andy Osbourne who told stories and anecdotes of Jan’s colorful four-decade career through various positions in the local hotel industry, contributing tirelessly to the bottom line of his employer and pushing an endless number of community project forward, focusing on welfare and environmental causes.
According to Raymond, Jan is not retiring he is rewiring.
Which is the absolute truth.
Jan who was the general manager of Blue Residence for the past few years, has concluded his mission there and will pursue excellence joining his wife in the family restaurant business, As Es Mi Peru, at Paradise Beach Villas.
According to Jan, his wife played second fiddle through his career, helping raise successful kids and keeping the household together as his professional journey took off. As the kids matured she established a modest F&B business, and transitioned into it big time, two years ago. “It’s time for me to support her efforts, as she has supported mine,” states Jan, “I am happy to play second fiddle now, let the boss, Roxana van Nes, lead the way! “
Jan, you are in good hands!!
Delicious Restaurant is…. Delicious
Delicious take away with Chef Annelotte Ellis opened in November, just below the old Dutch mill; it’s a bit tucked away behind the kiosks, but it is there. The restaurant later started serving lunch and now also introduced dinner.
Annelotte Ellis is the sister of Eduardo Ellis of Papiamento restaurant fame, both siblings inherited their F&B flair from their father, an iconic hotelier, restaurateur, and a tourism pioneer on the island.
As a young chef Annelotte was a regular winning participant in regional cooking competitions, and represented Aruba a number of times as a member of the national culinary team.
She then went on to raise a family, and she’s back in the kitchen now, inspired by dad and motivated to reclaim her rightful place in the pantheon of great chefs on the island.
Call Tel.: 565 0522 for the list of daily specials, lunch is busy, dinner is picking up!
Business partner Daniel Verlaan handles the calls and the dining room service!
We had a seafood experience at Delicious recently, starting with a shrimp appetizer stacked on crunchy patacon, the Venezuelan fried green platins, and a trio of fish main course in a delicate cream sauce. The dessert, a triple decker cake of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla mousse with abstract sugar swirl, and fruit coulis was perfection. Good coffee too. The place is reasonably priced.
The inviting, artistic, bohemian interiors are designed by artisan Annelotte Ellis, who is a woman with many talents.
