http://www.amigoe.com/english/
Tourists do not like Aruban cuisine
ARUBA – What proportion does culture bear to tourism in Aruba; how do the Aruban citizens identify themselves with their identity? Cultural anthropologist Astrid van Wijk did a doctoral researched on the above.
During her research in 2005, she discovered that the Aruban identity can hardly be found in what the hotels offer to their guests. “Tourists do not like Aruban cuisine”, said a chef. A survey on the guests’ culinary preferences, included all sorts of international dishes, from Polynesian to Mexican, but no Aruban. Buffets are combined with the evening entertainment, but the hotels do not offer Aruban nights with Aruban entertainment.
Very little distinction is being made between Caribbean/Aruban- and South American music and dance on the so-called carnival nights. Local dance-groups do not always keep their engagements with the hotels and because of that, some hotels now contract dancing-ensembles that have no trouble at all doing Aruban waltzes as well as Brazilian sambas. However, most of those dancers are not originally from Aruba. Van Wijk says that start including the culture of a country in the promotion has become an international trend. Therefore, the World Tourism Organization (WTO) recommends investing in cultural aspects in the tourist policy. The Aruba Tourism Authority told Van Wijk that they would actively follow that trend.
Van Wijk had spoken with hotel managers, ATA- and Ahata officials, activity coordinators, food & beverage managers, and with persons that are involved in marketing and sales of the tourist product Aruba. She has also examined the brochures Aruba Nights, Events, and Experience. Sun, Sea, and Beaches still dominate in the promotion, while culture and own identity get very little attention. Now is the time to pay more attention to cultural aspects, now that the
safety-image of Aruba has suffered a blow due to the Holloway-affair, the collapse of the Natural Bridge, and the attack on the famous fofoti-tree in front of the Amsterdam Manor Resort.
Van Wijk will give a lecture on the conclusions of her research in the auditorium of the University of Aruba this coming Thursday at 20:00.
On Greta tonight.
John Kelley, Beth's attorney, said that he has applied to the civil court to be allowed to sit in, as Natalee's family's representative, on the hearing for Paulus Van Der Sloot at the end of this month, when Paulus will ask for payment from the government for his wrongful arrest.
Kelley said Karen Janssen told him he should try to get permission to attend the hearing.
Kelley spoke about the secretiveness of Aruban court hearings and how difficult it is to find out what has been said and done in the hearings. He said there is no way to just get a transcript, as in America.
He said Karen is going to Holland again soon to review the case records there, to make sure she did not miss anything.
Greta asked didn't Karen make copies of records for Aruba? John said he didn't discuss that with Karen.
There was no mention of the 2 Aruban policemen who raced off to a nearby island to possibly find Natalee alive.