Oranjestad -- The Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association chairman, businessman Alfonso Riverol had the distinct pleasure of addressing his organization’s General Assembly, at the Renaissance Convention Center, Wednesday.
He opened his address by thanking AHATA for giving him and the 2006 board the opportunity to serve again, in 2007, and added that he is delighted to welcome two new members to the board – Gary Jutz, General Manager of the Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino and Guillermo Valencia, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Sunspree.
These hoteliers, Riverol explained, bring great experience, new ideas and leadership to the group and he is looking forward to working with them, as does the rest of the board, who will provide the continuity and wisdom required at present.
Riverol continued by stating that it was appropriate to comment on recent events that have put AHATA in the limelight, although, he added, it was not his personal preference to be in the news.
“I fully realize that our association carries a great responsibility in Aruba,” Riverol stated. “I am intensely aware that the health of this country’s economy depends on how well all of us in the tourism industry are doing. If AHATA is hurting Aruba is definitely hurting. That is why our board has given our CEO and his excellent team the mandate to raise concerns, to articulate on the challenges the industry is facing, and to recommend solutions. That’s why AHATA has gone to the Council of Ministers, the Tourism Committee of Parliament, to many private meetings and to NGOs to share concerns in areas such as security, lack of labor, insufficient marketing and the cost of doing business. AHATA and its CEO, Jorge Pesquera, have taken a lot of heat lately for raising those issues, issues that the board and the members want to see addressed.”
Riverol declared that he took full responsibility for the direction the association had taken and for being the principal author of the AHATA recently-placed newspaper-message. He thanked his fellow board members for their strong support in making difficult decisions. Riverol explains that AHATA took a public course of action as a last resort, after exhausting all other options. AHATA aired its views because it would have been improper to let the people of Aruba think that all is well and that the future is as bright as ever.
In fact Riverol reiterated, the island’s tourism industry faces big challenges and AHATA should not shy away from correcting wrong information. It should not shy away from raising its voice about issues that require immediate attention of local leaders, as well as the local community. The AHATA management team, he explained is the messenger of concerns, which are always delivered tactfully and respectfully. Riverol reaffirmed that he will keep leading AHATA into total transparency and greater visibility on issues of national concern.
AHATA, he confirmed was however shocked to find out that its message resulted in bitter reactions and personal attacks; attacks that were unfounded and regrettable.
“If we cannot raise our concerns,” he questioned,” and if we cannot be open about our challenges, we definitely have a lot to be worried about, and in the end, history would not forgive our negligence.”
“It is time to re-examine our way of thinking,” he urged, “it is time to realize that success is not the result of fate or luck, but the result of hard work and well-orchestrated strategies.”
Success, he added, comes from facing the issues head on!
The chairperson of the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association remarked that he is an optimist and that he has nothing but the greatest respect and admiration for Aruba and the gifted people of this island.
“I am proud to call this my home,” he stated. “This pride and respect have grown even stronger after seeing the communal rejection of attacks and misinformation directed toward us lately.”
In spite of recent challenges, he said, AHATA must reaffirm its commitment to the philosophy of public & private partnerships. The private sector must reaffirm its commitment to the idea of collaboration with all government institutions and NGOs.
The private sector must reaffirm its desire to have a professional and forward thinking Aruba Tourism Authority, Riverol outlined, adding that he welcomed and challenged the government to join in this drive toward a successful and better future.
After twenty years of discussion about a privatized, professional and active Aruba Tourism Authority it is time to take action, he confirmed.
Just as WEB, ELMAR, SETAR and the Airport Authority have shown excellent results post-privatization; it is time to bring the matter of ATA’s privatization into a successful conclusion.
If Web, Elmar & Setar could make it, why not ATA, he questioned, calling the government to action and urging it to please look into the issue as soon as possible, to visualize a new destiny and chart a fresh course toward a brighter and more prosperous future for this marvelous country.
“For this to happen,” he said, “we must seek the best and the brightest minds in tourism to guide us in this process. We must copy the best practices from successful destinations,” he added.
In conclusion Riverol reported that AHATA’s team has great plans for 2007, with inspiration, innovation and imagination as self-imposed guiding lights. AHATA seeks to become “essential” to members needs, he remarked.
“I believe we have a fantastic team,” he concluded, “and it is getting better every day. I am looking forward to another year of working with them to make our dreams come true. Thank you; thank you very much for your support and your understanding.”
Pictured here Riverol making his well-received address during the General Assembly.
