ORANJESTAD — Aruba Birdlife Conservation (ABC) has voiced its support for the development of the Aruba Strategic Tourism Master Plan 2026–2031, while sharply criticizing the fact that the organization was never invited nor consulted during the plan’s development.
The conservation group’s position captures a familiar tension in Aruba’s tourism debate: the island’s natural assets are central to its appeal as a destination, yet the organizations working to protect them say they are routinely left out of the rooms where tourism strategy is written.
Support with a serious reservation
According to ABC, it backs the initiative to develop a strategic master plan guiding Aruba’s tourism for the 2026–2031 period. The island has been working through a long-term tourism strategy — including the draft Aruba Strategic Tourism Implementation Plan and the widely discussed Tourism 3.0 proposals — aimed at steering the sector toward higher-value, more sustainable tourism.
But that support comes with a pointed complaint: during the development of the plan, ABC received no invitation to contribute and was not consulted, even though birdlife conservation and the protection of natural habitats are directly relevant to tourism policy.
Nature at the heart of the product
Aruba’s wetlands, salinas and rugged north coast draw birdwatchers and nature tourists from around the world. Conservationists have long argued that tourism planning must account for the carrying capacity of these areas and the protection of sensitive species — input that can only come from the organizations doing the work on the ground.
ABC’s public statement is therefore both an endorsement of strategic planning and a call for a seat at the table. Whether the government opens the process to conservation stakeholders remains to be seen, but the organization has made clear it expects to be part of the conversation going forward.
Source: NoticiaCla
