Aruba tours cancelled due to fallout from Holloway case

by Norman 'Gus' Thomas 
Caribbean Net News Senior Correspondent
E-mail: rc@caribbeannetnews.com

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

ORANJESTAD, Aruba: Tourism officials in Aruba are reeling from the heavy negative publicity brought about by the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway, who had come to the island with 124 other students from the USA to celebrate their graduation from Mountain Brook High School in Alabama.

Holloway vanished in the early hours of May 30 after leaving an Oranjestad nightclub in the company of three men. 

According to one media report, police in Aruba arrested a man last Saturday morning, after one of a trio that was previously held reportedly told police "something bad happened to her". However, law enforcement officials have vehemently denied this, with officials saying only that they have reached a crucial point in their investigation. 

One senior police official reportedly told the media that there was a confession and that one of the suspects was "taking police to the scene." However, when this report was made public, police here told Caribbean Net News that the report was misleading and untrue and that no confession was made. Since then, some have begun to look at the authorities here with suspicion and Holloway's mother told the press that she feels that the trio knows more than they are telling. 

Meanwhile, as officials continue their search for Holloway, they have come in for heavy criticism from many in the travel industry over the way the case in being handled. 

One travel agent told Caribbean Net News, "We in the United States are extremely concerned about the way this case is being handled in Aruba," going on to add, "I know for a fact that many Americans have already cancelled plans to visit Aruba. Their fear is that, if a crime should occur, the police will handle it in an inept and incompetent fashion, as many feel this case is being handled in such a manner," 

Some have expressed the view that, since one of the three suspects is the son of a "soon-to-be-judge", it could be that the boy's dad is using his influence for the benefit of his son, thus causing the police to be reluctant to release information which would be damaging to the boy. "I urge you, do not let this fact (of his position) compromise the investigation," a travel agent wrote to Caribbean Net News.

In speaking to several travel agents across the USA, Caribbean Net News has been told that they are "discouraging travel to Aruba." However, a number of visitors have reportedly cancelled on their own after learning how the situation is being handled.

In speaking on national radio last Friday night, Nelson Oduber, the island's Prime Minister said that he was deeply concerned over the negative effect the Holloway matter would have on the island's tourism product and its 97,000 people, who depend heavily on tourism. Some are now expressing the view that the authorities are more concerned about the harm done to the country's image rather than seeking justice for Holloway.

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