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LOCAL Thursday 29 February 2024

Aruba Tourism Authority honors a Prohibited by law: leaving

loyal visitor at Divi Phoenix Hotel! the island with seashells,
white sand or corals

(Oranjestad)—Often times, pay before leaving. This is
the customs department at surely not a pleasant ex-
the airport intercepts many perience for the tourist. This
tourists leaving the island also leads to a negative re-
with seashells, white sand action which can put our
and/or corals as souvenirs. tourism in a negative light.

Conforming to the inter- Though we love to accom-
national treaty of CITES modate our visitors, let’s all
and our local law which give nature the respect it
protects our Flora & Fau- deserves by protecting our
na, it is absolutely prohib- environment. Stop collect-
ited to take any seashell, ing seashells, white sand
sand and coral outside and corals from our shores
of Aruba. This is to protect and stop buying or ac-
our environment. The high cepting these from local
number of seashells, coral sellers or companies.
and amount of sand con-
fiscated is very strange and We want our future gener-
it is suspected that our own ations and visitors to enjoy
The Aruba Tourism Authority recently lakos from New York, United States locals are the ones selling the beauty of our beach-
had the great pleasure of recognizing these to the tourists, which es, shells and corals in a
Emerald Ambassadors of Aruba. Mr. Jorgino Willems representing the is unacceptable. sustainable way, without
Aruba Tourism Authority, and staff mem- destroying or disrupting the
These Ambassadors were respectively bers of Divi Phoenix Hotel bestowed the Upon confiscation at the Aruban ecosystem. Help us
honored with a certificate acknowledg- honor certification to the honoree, pre- airport, you can also face protect what is ours!
ing their years of visits, loyalty, and love sented her with gifts, and thanked her a fine that they have to
for the island of Aruba. for choosing Aruba as her favorite vaca-
tion destination, as her home away from
The honor certification is presented on home.
behalf of the Minister of Tourism as a to-
ken of appreciation and to say “Masha Top reasons for returning to Aruba, pro-
Danki” to guests who have visited Aruba vided by Mrs. Pavlakos were:
10, 20, or 35 years or more consecutively.
Aruba’s beaches
The three honoring levels are as follows:
Aruba’s friendly people
Distinguished Visitor (10)years consecu-
tively visiting Aruba) Aruba’s sun
Goodwill Ambassador (20)years consec- Aruba’s food
utively visiting Aruba)
Aruba`s hospitability
Emerald Ambassador (35)years consec-
utively visiting Aruba) On behalf of the Aruba Tourism Author-
ity, we would like to express our sincere
The honoree was: gratitude and appreciation to the hon-
oree for his continued visits to the “One
Emerald Ambassador Mrs. Martha Pav- Happy Island”.