The media has written about the frustration of downtown investors, several time. Oranjestad Investment Group, OIG, reported it is not getting permits needed to commence renovation of dilapidated real estate bought in Oranjestad.

A great number of buildings changed hands in town at the wake of the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs’ plan to revitalize the area. He started talking about it, mostly about Wilhelminastraat, as if it is the only street needing upgrades, when he was elected, June 2021, and seriously started promoting the idea in December 2022.

On one hand, the minister is selling dreams, encouraging investors to dream, and on the other the ROPV, Aruba’s spatial and development plan, the Ruimtelijk ontwikkelingsplan met voorschriften, written in 2019 and made into a law in 2021, has not been modified to accommodate the new vision for downtown.

Recently the government announced that the ROPV will remain the same for the next 3 years. They have no time to look at it, for now.

The solution found by the bureaucrats at the permit department was effective. They did not issue any permits. They are reportedly understaffed and overwhelmed, thus the freeze, the delay, because had they issued permits, they would have to adhere to the law, and the law currently places restrictions on development downtown.

So 2026 must be played in accordance to 2019 rules. But Aruba’s needs were different at the time. All eyes were on Noord and the tourist areas. Consequently, Noord reached saturation, other areas were identified, namely Oranjestad and St Nicolas.

Developer Albert Perret Gentil told me that in July, in a meeting with a handful of Oranjestad investors, the minister promised to introduce an amendment. New rules for Oranjestad and San Nicolas, in accordance to the minister’s urban revival vision.

This week, a prominent Madiki Investor who revived a gorgeous building in one of town’s least attractive areas finally received a permit. Guess what it said: The acquisition, ownership, disposal, administration and management, development, subdivision, leasing, subleasing and granting of mortgages on, or the provision of security interests over, real estate or rights and interests relating thereto, provided that the intended activities relating to real estate (real estate assets) may not consist of providing temporary accommodation on the basis of rental arrangements, nor may they be intended for the construction of hotels and/or condominiums, or the conversion of an existing building for the aforementioned purposes.

Meaning: There is nothing she can do to exploit the renovated building for business purposes. Shocking. She just finished renovations a wreck, transforming it into a work of art, having spent millions.

With all due respect to the minister and his eleven speeches regarding the urban revival of Oranjestad, not even once did he mention that the ROPV amendment, is in the pipeline, not ready yet — there are restrictions in the number of units in place, assets cannot be exploited, mostly they cannot be rented short term. Downtown investors are building condos, very few will be sold to locals. The target buyers are our visitors. But if the restrictions on short term rentals in Oranjestad remain, there is ZERO incentive to buy a downtown condo.

Also if the restrictions on the number of units remains, it would be difficult to breath life into town.

What did the minister have in mind when her started talking about downtown. Did he see locals buying the apartments?

Let’s be honest, just very few locals could afford them. So who are you building for??

La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino celebrated its 35th anniversary in December, during an elaborate Christmas Party, but it is preparing to celebrate some more with the Board of Directors and invited business-related guests on September 21st. The occasion is about much more than a milestone on the calendar. It is a celebration of the people, relationships, and shared memories that have shaped one of Aruba’s best-known timeshare resorts.

Since its beginnings as La Cabana Beach & Racquet Club in December 1990, the resort has grown around a simple but enduring idea: creating memorable vacations. Behind that promise is a dedicated team of associates whose daily commitment to hospitality has helped make La Cabana a familiar and welcoming destination for generations of visitors.

The resort’s name has been changed over the years to La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino as Glitz Casino opened its door to local and visitors, adjacent to the lobby.

The people behind the experience, are key players because for a resort, buildings, swimming pools, restaurants, and beautiful surroundings are only part of the guest experience. The warmth of a greeting, the care given to a room, the attention to a maintenance request, and the willingness to go the extra mile are what turn a stay into a lasting memory.

La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino’s approach to human resources reflects this understanding. Through its “We Celebrate YOU” culture, the resort emphasizes that every associate matters and that individual contributions are essential to the success of the entire team. Training, professional development, employee benefits, recognition programs, and opportunities for advancement are all part of its stated commitment to its workforce.

The value of long-term service is particularly meaningful in hospitality. Associates who have spent many years at the resort carry an understanding of its history, its standards, and the expectations of returning members. They also contribute something that cannot be learned overnight: familiarity, continuity, and the personal connections that make guests feel at home.

La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino has publicly celebrated that commitment, every single year, since opening, at every quarter. It recognizes excellence, of associates and managers as well as retirements of associates whose years of work left a legacy. Contributing to the resort’s larger story.

The resort nurtured relationships founded on loyalty over the years. The anniversary is equally an opportunity to recognize La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino’s timeshare members. These owners have made a continuing commitment to the island and its people, returning annually to the place that became part of their annual family traditions.

For many timeshare owners, the value of La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino extends beyond the accommodation itself. It is the anticipation of returning to a favorite island, the familiarity of the surroundings, and the pleasure of reconnecting with people and places remembered from previous visits. Over time, a vacation destination can become a second home.

That loyalty deserves sincere appreciation. Members have contributed to the resort’s continuity, while their feedback and evolving expectations helped shape the guest experience. Their relationship with La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino is an important part of the resort’s identity as it looks toward the future.

The resort has celebrated its 35th anniversary this year recognizing the two essential elements of hospitality: the people who deliver the experience and the guests who return to enjoy it. La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino’s continuing investment in physical improvements and upgrades, its nurturing of associates, alongside its recognition of repeat visitors, provides a foundation for the next chapter

As another celebration approaches, with Board of Directors and invited business-related guests, the message is one of gratitude. To the associates whose dedication has sustained the resort, and to the loyal timeshare members who have returned year after year: thank you for being part of La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino’s story.

Thirty-five years is a milestone. The relationships built along the way are the legacy.

We have been questioning the carrying capacity of the island since 2017, and asking how much is too much. Officially, no one responded. It was business as usual everywhere.

Recently however at the Aruba Global Travel Conference, Seaport Conference Center, a different message aired. All three speakers, the Minister of Tourism, the CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority and the CMO announced Aruba is entering a new chapter in its tourism journey, one that calls for a shift from simply attracting visitors to creating a more meaningful and responsible relationship between guests, the island, and its people.

The concept of Reciprocal Tourism was reintroduced. We heard about it vaguely before, but this week, it was presented front and center.

It was profusely and profoundly explained. I was impressed.

But then I went home and thought to myself that when an idea cannot be explained simply, that is often a red flag, about the idea itself, not about the audience.

When you must work so hard to make something sound convincing, then it is my responsibility to ask if it is doable.

Read for yourself, I owe you a report on the conference:

According to ATA the new buzz word, Reciprocal Tourism, asks an important question: What can our guests do to help protect our island? Visitors arrive to enjoy Aruba’s beaches, landscapes, culture, food, hospitality, and unforgettable experiences. They take photographs, discover local traditions, enjoy the views, collect memories, and eventually leave. But what do they give back?

Money is no longer enough. One cannot buy an island with cash.

The Global Travel Conference challenges the tourism industry to reconsider the reality it has helped create and asks whether marketing can begin to undo some of its unintended consequences. Can a destination attract visitors while protecting the very resources that make it special? Can responsible behavior by itself, become personally rewarding for travelers, rather than simply another set of rules?

The message at the conference was the following: Aruba’s natural environment, cultural heritage, and welcoming spirit are precious—and worth protecting. This requires a shared commitment from residents, businesses, government, and visitors alike.

From theory to practice. The minister talked about regulating vacation rentals and examining cruise ship traffic to the island. It was the first time I heard actual to-do items. The Aruba Tourism Authority CEO announced limited growth – growth, nevertheless. The CMO explained the island is also shifting the way it communicates and leads. Initiatives such as Aruba’s Code of Conduct, which encourages awareness of local rules and regulations, are part of a broader effort to promote responsible tourism. The emphasis is moving beyond traditional promotion toward education, participation, and collective responsibility.

The minister’s address was more dynamic than ever. The CEO was very deliberate and clear. The CMO talked from the heart.

They all pledged a change of direction.

FYI: The Global Travel Conference is a sales conference and the professionals in attendance are there by invitation. Attendance was as planned and turned out as expected. The meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, in a marketplace format are the most important. The question is whether all the meetings with local properties focused on the value transition.  Salespeople like to focus on production.  Which is volume.  So the quality/content of the conversations with the individual local accommodations and services providers, are key.

Were they all on the same page??

The new slogan, “When you love Aruba, Aruba loves you back,” positions Aruba as a partner in an exchange. The island’s beauty and warmth are the gift received by guests, stating an expectation that visitors will respond with equal care rather than simply consume the delights of the destination.

The conference room was beautifully decorated, the music exactly right, the light ambient, the graphics attractive, the pastechis warm.

We left uplifted, walking on air. It was a great show.

The question remains will ATA and the ministry manage to pull it off, on the power of marketing alone. (Read Blog From Friday)

To exemplifies the idea ATA signaled out three vacation heroes, exceptional people, working in the tourism industry who love their guests, and enjoys being loved back.

The recognition went to Maidel Yero, with 24 years of experience in tourism, working in Activities & Entertainment at Playa Linda Beach Resort, Jandor Lampe, bartender at La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino, with 28 years in the tourism industry, and John Marvin Kelly, better known as “Uncle Johnny”, a tour guide at ABC Tours with more than 40 years in the biz.

These are wonderful people, and their stories were touching. BUT THIS IS NOT NEW. Arubans have always connected lovingly with their guests, in intimate, close settings, not on a mass tourism scale. The distinctive touch and connection get lost in the machinery of travel. Scale erodes intimacy and devalues experiences.

Beach, culture and identity of Aruba will be the focus during Aruba Captured 2026, an exhibition and benefit auction of photography organized by the La Cabana Aportando Foundation. The event will take place on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino. Entry is completely free.

Aruba Captured 2026 brings together around 15 local photographers, who will present a collection of over 80 works in a gallery-style environment. Each photograph captures a part of Aruba: its landscape, architecture, culture, heritage and unique details that form the identity of our island.

The public will have the opportunity to admire and enjoy photography and other unique works created by local talent.

In this way, visitors can not only go home with a special piece of Aruba, but also support local art and photography. During the evening there will be a live photography auction, live music and networking opportunities. The environment is designed to bring together photographers, art lovers, cocktail artists, professionals and the general public in a celebration of local creativity. In addition to putting Aruban talent in the spotlight, Aruba Captured has a beneficial goal. The funds raised through the sale of the works and the auction during the event are destined for the FCVR Foundation, combining art with a positive contribution to the community.

It is business as usual at APA

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/it-is-business-as-usual-at-apa/

First International Burrowing Owl Conservation Conference

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/first-international-burrowing-owl-conservation-conference/

Nature x Mankind

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/nature-x-mankind/

Diesel oil prices going through the roof

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/diesel-oil-prices-going-through-the-roof/

The 9th Annual Art Fair, Nature X Mankind

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/the-9th-annual-art-fair-nature-x-mankind/

The 1.4% Tourism Target: Who Actually Controls the Brake? By an Independent Tourism Observer

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/the-1-4-tourism-target-who-actually-controls-the-brake-by-an-independent-tourism-observer/

In conversation with Theodora Goloiu

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/in-conversation-with-theodora-goloiu/