CENTRAL BANK--DECLINE IN TOURISM FOR 2006

Thanks to Walkman for the following figures:

Here are some highlights of the Central Bank reports on the decline in Aruba tourism for 2006. Note this only factors in the basic tourism numbers-- not the decrease in dollars that come with every decline. Keep in mind every single one of those tourists who chose not to go to Aruba represents anywhere from $2,000 and up not spent on dining, recreation, dry goods, souveneirs, etc.

DECEMBER REPORT

The Aruba Tourism Authority has not yet published information on the number of stay-over tourists and their nights spent on the island for August, September, October, November and December 2005. The average occupancy rate of the hotels fell by 2.5 percentage points to 79.5 percent in November 2005, and by 0.8 percentage point to 74.8 percent in December 2005. In the month under review, the number of cruise passenger arrivals went up by 5.7 percent, notwithstanding 21.6 percent fewer ship calls (see table 10). For the year as a whole, the number of cruise passenger arrivals registered a 4.1 percent decrease, while port calls went down by 2.2 percent.

JANUARY REPORT

The Aruba Tourism Authority has recently published tourism figures up to and including November 2005. Data on December 2005 and January 2006 have not yet been published. The available information shows that in the months August, September, October and November 2005 the number of stay-over visitors dropped by 7.8 percent, 8.7 percent, 9.1 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively, compared to the corresponding months in 2004, while their nights spent on the island decreased by 6.5 percent, 4.7 percent, 7.9 percent and 7.3 percent, respectively. On a cumulative basis for the year up to November 2005, the number of stay-over visitors and their nights spent on the island rose by respectively 1.2

FEBRUARY REPORT

In December 2005, the number of stay-over visitors dropped by 6.3 percent, compared to the corresponding month in 2004, while their nights spent on the island decreased by 2.5 percent. For the year 2005 as a whole, the number of stay-over visitors and their nights spent on the island rose by, respectively, 0.6 percent and 1 percent, compared to 13.4 percent and 10.6 percent during the corresponding period a year earlier. The data on tourist arrivals and nights spent for January and February 2006 have not been published as yet. The average occupancy rate of the hotels fell by 1.5 percentage points to 88 percent in February 2006. Data published by the Cruise Tourism Authority show that in February 2006 the number of cruise passengers increased by 8.9 percent, compared to the corresponding month of 2005. However, the number of ship calls remained unchanged.

MARCH REPORT

Tourism The Aruba Tourism Authority has not yet published the data on tourist arrivals and nights spent on the island for January, February and March 2006. According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, the average occupancy rate of the hotels fell by 5.4 percentage points to 83.5 percent in March 2006, compared to the corresponding period a year earlier. Data published by the Cruise Tourism Authority show that in March 2006 the number of cruise passengers rose by 15 percent, when compared to the corresponding month of 2005. In addition, the number of ship calls went up by 5.7 percent.

APRIL REPORT

In January 2006, the number of stay-over visitors and their nights spent on the island fell by 15.8 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively, compared to the corresponding month in 2005. The Aruba Tourism Authority has not yet published the data on tourist arrivals and nights spent on the island for February, March and April 2006. However, according to the Department of Immigration, air passenger arrivals dropped by 14.7 percent during the first quarter of 2006 compared to the corresponding quarter a year earlier. According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, the average occupancy rate of the hotels contracted by 4.8 percentage points to 81.3 percent in April 2006, compared to the corresponding period a year earlier.