A tourism executive in Aruba has reacted strongly to the Tourism 3.0 report recently published by NoticiaCla, with a pointed message: the government must assume its own responsibility before placing additional burdens on the business community.
The draft Aruba Strategic Tourism Implementation Plan 2026–2031 — dubbed Tourism 3.0 — has sparked debate across the island. Among its proposals are a series of new tourist-related charges and rate increases intended to finance the plan, as well as a proposal to create an Afl. 25 million fund between 2027 and 2031 to help 1,000 families who nearly qualify for a mortgage, at Afl. 300 per month each.
For the executive, the sequence is wrong: before the government asks more of commerce, it should first own up to its own responsibilities in managing tourism’s pressures — from infrastructure and public services to the quality of the visitor experience itself.
The reaction reflects broader private-sector unease about who will carry the cost of the next phase of tourism policy, as Aruba weighs how to manage growth, protect residents’ quality of life, and keep the destination competitive.
The Tourism 3.0 discussion is expected to continue in the coming weeks as more stakeholders respond to the draft plan.
Source: NoticiaCla
