Page 17 - AHATA

28 LOCAL NEWS AWEMainta
ATSA host its quarterly members’ meeting at La Cabana
THE members of the Aruba Timeshare Association, ATSA,
convened for a lunch-meeting at La Cabana Beach Resort &
Casino with representatives of most of the island’s Vacation
Ownership properties, in attendance.
The Food & Beverage team of La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino
prepared an exceptionally varied and tasty lunch menu, paired
with the resort’s signature gracious service and hospitality.
ATSA’s President, Luigi Heredia, Costa Linda Beach Resort,
welcomed members just before officially opening the meeting. In
his remarks he noted that: “The timeshare industry has evolved
significantly in the last few decades to become an attractive
vacation option for younger customers, and the results speak
for themselves. Today’s timeshare products allow for flexibility,
owners clearly enjoy these options and continue to rate “overall
flexibility” and “exchange opportunities” as their top reasons for
purchasing a timeshare.”
Heredia then continued that ATSA is honored to welcome distin-
guish Minister Glenbert Croes, Ministry of Labor, Energy and
Integration who will be sharing information on labor, and repre-
sentatives of Minister Dangui Oduber, the Minister of Tourism and
Public Health who will give an update on the proposed Hotel &
Restaurant Permit Process and Fees; also update the forum on
the progress of TPEF. ATSA would also like to welcome from the
Aruba Hotel and Security Foundation, Dylan Molina and Patrick
Melchiors who will give insights on initiatives for Tourism Security
Patrol.
Minister Glenbert Croes, then made a presentation regarding the
island’s updated Admission Policy and covered strategies and
initiatives related to the labor shortage challenge on Aruba.
He pledged improve collaboration between government depart-
ments such as DIMAS and DPL, in charge of immigration and
labor. The minister talked at length about the exceptions granted
to waiting job applicants, the changes in family reunifications,
the changes in work permit application process, the introduction
of a multiyear option, and the current tariff structure.
At the end of the presentation a lively Q&A session followed.
While the minister of Tourism & Public Health excused himself from
the meeting due to unforeseen circumstances his office represen-
tatives went on to introduce the proposed HORECA permit fees
and the creation of a new authority in charge of permit issuance
and supervision under the Licensing Regulation. This new central
supervisory body, the Aruba Quality & Hospitality Authority,
AQHA, will be specifically responsibly for quality control and
enforcement. It will be a semi-public Sui Generis, also in charge
of vacation rental permits, lodging, hotels, and restaurants, from
start of finish, a one stop shop.
Since the AQHA must be self-sufficient, the question of fees will
Dialuna, 25 September 2023
be revisited, before the launch of the program, in the first quarter
of 2024.
Another welcomed update involved the Aruba Hospitality and
Security Foundation, AH&SF, now home to the Tourism Security
Patrol Aruba, TSPA. According to Dylan Molina & Patrick
Melchiors, the AH&SF was founded by AHATA in 2001 to support
safety and security in the tourism zone. It was financed by the
Aruba Tourism Authority, with funds generated from the tourism
levy and was run by tourism partners, such as AHATA, ATA, ATSA,
ATIA and the Aruba police Corp. Now with the help of Cameleon
Associates the Tourism Security Patrol Aruba will be created to
increase visibility of law enforcement in the areas of Palm Beach
& Eagle Beach. Cameleon Associates will also help train private
security professionals and continue training the public ones to
enhance the safety and security of Aruba’s residents and tour-
ists, effective November 2023.
Two more agenda items were the budget presentation and
approval by treasurer Jurgen van Schaijk, for 2024 and the
election of a new board member, Rina Geerman, to replace the
retiring board member Jessica Franken, La Cabana beach Resort
& Casino.
Toward the end of the meeting a brief overview of TPEF, the
Tourism Product Enhancement Fund, by ATSA member Sulaika
Kelly, Playa Linda beach Resort, reported on a number of beau-
tification projects around the island, and ATSA member Pedro
Vargas, Marriott Ocean Club, commented on the positive devel-
opment at the Security Foundation,
The meeting closed after more than two hours; it was filled with
important business information.
ATSA was established in 1994, and currently counts the active
membership of the majority of vacation ownership properties in
Aruba. The Association works on a local level, as a supporting
member of AHATA, the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association, and
with other local organizations as well as Government entities. On
a regional level, where Aruba continues to receive recognition as
a model vacation ownership destination, ATSA has professional
ties with the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association and also
benefits from continuous collaboration with ARDA, the American
Resort Development Association.