Research indicates Aruba is outperforming other

Carribean tourist destinations

According to a recent study by associate professor, Dr. Robertico Croes, at the University of Central Florida, Aruba seems poised to successfully compete as a tourist destination in the Caribbean region. Croes’ research findings were based on the analysis of seventeen destinations in the Caribbean. The list of destinations included major tourist “hot spots” such as: Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Curacao, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Martinique and U.S. Virgin Islands.

The results of his research indicate that Aruba’s performance as a tourist destination has surpassed competing destinations in the Caribbean region. The study measured each destination’s tourism performance through a newly developed Tourism Competitiveness Index (TCI) for the Caribbean region that covered the time period of 1986-2007. The TCI assessed the tourism competitiveness level of the destinations in the Caribbean based on three main components: average spending per capita, growth rates in tourist spending, and tourism value added to the economy. The study concludes that providing a high- quality product may allow destinations to become and remain competitive.

The TCI is the first tourism index dedicated exclusively for the measurement of tourism performance in small island destinations. Prior performance indices were either not applicable for small island destinations, or covered only a handful of islands without providing the opportunity to make performance comparisons from one destination to the next.

Dr. Croes discussed his findings and the working of the TCI during a recent presentation in Curacao hosted by the Curacao Tourism Board.