Aruba Global Travel Conference: World Tourism Day 2023
The Aruba Tourism Authority hosted its first GLOBAL travel conference at the Hyatt Regency this morning. We were invited to join the island’s “international tour operator partners for an inspirational tourism update where ATA dove deeper into Aruban’s Hospitality and why this remains Aruba’s most important export.”
The forum also received key tourism information for 2024 and beyond, including the outlook, targets and strategy.
While in the past ATA hosted separate conferences for Europe, North and South America, it opted to merge three markets into one, and label the conference global. It seemed like a good decision to me, as far as planning and logistics go. The room was full, the spirit of anticipation, high.
I was a festive gathering, and received attention from our prime minister and a number of ministers, who graced the Hyatt Regency ballroom with their presence.
The conference was put together well for foreign consumption. I am sure visitors enjoyed the warm, bi-lingual welcome by the prime minister and the detailed presentation by the CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority, the creative materials presented by the CMO, Chief Marketing Officer, the interlude with a historian, cracking the code of Aruba’s friendly and inclusive DNA, the wit and banter of the MC, and a Niche Market panel that presented four authentic, local personalities in the culinary, wedding, and nature conservation arenas.
As I said the conference was very well put together — fantastic room mapping design by ELITE. The information, about our healthy tourism business, was focused and the tireless work being done by our local players and their overseas partners, acknowledged.
But, here comes the but. Under the slogan Build It For The Locals and Visitors Will Follow, the conference positioned our tourism in the service of the local community, and the residents’ quality of life. Which is alas, no longer accurate, because the locals are worried.
Direct quote from a Millenial working in the industry: The images of Clarity, and Inner Peace now promoting our tourism product on empty pristine beaches, in crystal clear water are endangered by that marketing approach.
I swear I did not say that. That is a direct quote from a young woman who feels that the empty pristine beaches, and the crystal clear water, will no longer be there once Embassy Suites, Secrets, Iberostar Grand Aruba Resort & St Regis, are filled and staffed and fully up and running.
The final words belong to Edeline Berg, Communication and Marketing Aruba National Park Foundation, while Aruba offers its visitors many precious, intangible gifts such as kindness, warmth, acceptance, hospitality and respect, which are engrained in our national character, she would like to see the same kind of Aruban hospitality extended to nature, for our delicate eco-systems to be treated more gently, respectful of their fragility. Amen.
