Aruba: One Happy Island

The year 2017 was a prosperous one for Aruba’s tourism industry. The island welcomed just under a half-million first-time visitors, which was a 3.5 percent increase over 2016. The number of visitors from North America grew 10.6 percent over 2016.

Ed Malone, the Aruba Tourism Authority’s director for North America, attributed the growth to additional airlift: air capacity from North America grew from 2016 by about 12 percent in 2017. JetBlue added service from Fort Lauderdale to Aruba’s Reina Beatrix International Airport in addition to a second season flight from Boston.

“We’ve always had aggressive marketing campaigns—and combined with the new airlift last year, it was really the perfect scenario for us,” he said.“Plus, the economy was good, so we really surpassed our expectations for 2017.”

The cruise industry also contributed to Aruba’s tourism success in 2017, with 20 percent more cruise passengers visiting the island than in the year prior. According to Malone, the boost was largely driven by the tourism board’s efforts to attract more cruise ships to call in Aruba during summer months, as historically they come into port from November through April.

Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Fantasy was among those ships to include Aruba on an itinerary last summer. In fact, the ship made its inaugural call in Oranjestad early last summer as part of its first Southern Caribbean voyage from Port Canaveral. “We also expect cruise ship visitation to grow exponentially in 2018,” Malone added.

Aruba also received more business last year as a result of the hurricanes that affected other parts of the Caribbean. Malone said Aruba sympathizes with islands devastated by the hurricanes and still sees the effects of post-hurricane inventory compression in the region. Aruba has long benefited from its location outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt.

Its tagline,‘One Happy Island,’ is in part a reference to the friendly locals who compose a cultural melting pot of more than 90 nationalities. But it’s also a reference to the weather; it’s sunny most days of the year with little rain, low humidity, and cooling trade winds.

The weather remains relatively constant year-round; seasonality is driven more by the travel patterns of Aruba’s visitors. High season takes place from Christmas to Easter, and Malone recommends that travel agents book three to four months in advance. But he has more reasons than simply the weather to expect another strong year for Aruba tourism in 2018.

Already, airlift has increased 6 percent in 2018, with Southwest introducing new nonstop daily service from Fort Lauderdale, and Sun Country Airlines adding thrice-weekly service from Minneapolis. Direct service is now available from 16 U.S. and Canadian gateways, and more new service is likely to come as the airport is in the midst of a 10-year expansion plan.

"Aruba’s popularity with travelers over the past decade has increased because of impactful investments and the addition of hotels, restaurants, activities, and accessibility to the island, creating a much better experience for first-time visitors as well as returning guests,” Malone said.

Last year, Aruba benefited from more than $150 million in hotel renovations, including a new pool at the Divi DutchVillage Beach Resort, redesigned rooms and an upgraded lobby and bar at the MVC Beach Hotel, a $5 million renovation of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort’s oceanfront wing, and a new club lounge for adults at the Aruba Marriott Resort.

Still to come in 2018 is a new Hyatt Place Hotel adjacent to the airport and the completion of renovations at the Hyatt Regency. A Courtyard by Marriott resort, previously the Mill Resort, is expected to open this summer while the Ritz-Carlton Aruba opened an offshoot of New York eatery Casa Nonna. A 330-room Embassy Suites is also currently under construction.

“Continued investment in Aruba’s hotel offerings as well as its infrastructure, is a reflection of the overall demand for travel to the island,” Malone said.