Has the Natalie Holloway case affected tourism in Aruba?

And if so do you think if Van Der Sloot is prosecuted will improve tourism to Aruba?

Personally, if I were traveling then or now it wouldn't make a difference to me. It's an isolated case but I'm wondering if the general population of vacationers decided to soak up the rays elsewhere because of this incident.

No, it has not. Tourism is increasing. This just appeared in yesterday's newspaper.

Airport anticipates rush hour in the summer

AAA anticipates an excellent year now that some airline companies have indicated increasing their number of flights substantially.

ORANJESTAD -- Aruba Airport Authority (AAA) anticipates that the airport is going to be rush hour this coming summer; namely several airline companies have asked for extra flights in June, July, August, and September. On top of that, starting June 25, ArkeFly will increase her weekly flights to the Netherlands from 2 to 3.

Front runner is Delta Airlines that from June 14 till August 17 will increase her weekly flights from 7 to 11. Delta will perform 9 weekly flights to Atlanta and 2 to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, and an overnight flight on Friday, which improves the connection from Atlanta considerably.

Spirit Airlines (Ford Lauderdale) is also going to fly more often from May 1 till September 1. Instead of once a week, this airline company is going to fly twice a week between Florida and Aruba.

AAA also anticipates that due to the extra growth in the Latin-American tourist- market, the airline companies from this region will put in extra flights in the summer months. 鈥淲e exerted ourselves for increasing especially the number of flights in the middle of the week. Traditionally, these are the quiet days in the week and jazzing this up is difficult. We have obviously managed to convince a few airline companies of the benefits. Because of this, 2008 seems to become an excellent year鈥? said Peter Steinmetz, director of AAA.

http://www.aruba.com/news/general-news/a...
http://www.cbaruba.org/cba/home.do

my husband and i, have recently booked a trip to aruba in august, the resaons why we chose the island, is due to there wonderful reputation, ive never heard anyone say anything bad about aruba. I, do feel terrible on what happened to natalie, i feel that the school trip should have better chaperoned, why did they allow these kids the chance to go to a place know as a drinking place, since they were under age, also didnt they explain and educated these kids as not to talk to the locals, and why did her friends levae her alone with a bunch of young men. As, far as vandersoot, and after seeing the new recording of him, im pretty sure they druged her and thats why she was maybe convulsing, and instead f calling for medical help because they were obviosly guity of something, they decided to just toss her overboard on a boat, this is so wrong and disturbing on so many differnt levels, you know what they say every dog has there day, i believe in justice and her will get his, and i hope that natalies family can find some peace, in this horrible tragedy, and to vandersllots parents , i would feel some level of responsibilty if my sons were involved in such a tradegy

I don't think it has. We know several people who have gone and have not thought about Van Der Sloot. There have been no other major issues so most feel it was an isolated case.