RESORTS:

•Bucuti Beach Resort is the recipient of Expedia’s prestigious Insider’s Select Award based on more than 300,000 qualified traveler reviews worldwide. The Insider’ Select list represents only 1 percent of all hotels offered on Expedia.com. Aruba Bucuti Beach Resort is the #1 rated resort in Aruba to receive this award and #15 of over 1000 resorts in the Caribbean region. This year Bucuti has also received the coveted “Traveler’s Choice Award’ from TripAdvisors, and the exalted ‘Golden Apple’ by Apple Vacations, all resulting from exceptional reviews by past guests. For more information please contact Susan Biemans at ph: (297) 583-1100 x103 or fax: (297) 582-5272. Email: susan@bucuti.com; susan@setarnet.aw or visit www.bucuti.com.

•The Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort Aruba announced that its three-year, $15 million makeover program is nearing completion as a series of new upgrades were recently made to guestrooms (upgrades completed on 400 of 600 total guestrooms), meeting/special event areas and dining facilities. Originally launched in August 2005, the makeover program features a new marine theme, which permeates all aspects of the improvements being made throughout the property. For more information please contact: Steve Bennett at SBPR Corp., Travel + Lifestyle PR. Tel: 954-566-1522 or Cel: 305-213-8074. Email: steve@SBPRcorp.com.

AIRLINES:

•ARUBA welcomed Spirit Airlines Non-stop Service to Aruba on Saturday November 10, 2007. Every Saturday, vacationers will depart Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport at 11:00 a.m. to arrive at Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport at 3:05 p.m., meaning jetsetters can enjoy the afternoon watching Aruba’s unforgettable sunset. Saturday return flights will leave Aruba at 3:55 p.m. giving travelers the entire morning to enjoy a little oceanfront R&R before touching down in Fort Lauderdale at 6:00 p.m.

RESTAURANTS & HANGOUT PLACES:

•The Bistro at Paseo Herencia opened this week, a Taste of Belgium branch. The Frietje was one of the pioneer outlets to open at the Paseo Herencia, now having built the kitchen, at the adjacent restaurant, the terrace portion is now open and serving guests delicious foods in a casual European atmosphere on director’s chairs and square bistro tables.

•Join the Autumn Festival at L.G. Smith’s Restaurant featuring a famous Master Chef, Eugene Swalen, who will join the kitchen from Holland and will be creating an additional special menu that will be offered for six weeks, combined with appropriate wines. He is also going to give food presentations at the Renaissance Conference Center on October 30th & 31st. For more information please contact Mrs. Sigrid Mendes at (297) 583-6000.

•The Gambero Rosso; the new Taste of Italy is the new style Italian restaurant located on the lower level of the Marina Mall in Weststraat with beautiful and refreshing views over the marina. It is open everyday from 5:00 pm to 11:30 pm and reservations can be made at (297) 582-3007 or email info@gamberorossoaruba.com. Website (Still under construction) will be www.gamberorossaruba.com.

•The popularity of the AAA Four Diamond rated Sunset Grille at the Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino restaurant’s cuisine has extended to New York City as the October 16 Sunset Over Aruba Dinner at the prestigious James Beard House has officially sold out according to the James Beard Foundation. The Aruban-inspired menu created by Executive Chef Matthew Boland, Executive Sous Chef Hector Espinoza and Sous Chef Anthony Martinus has tempted the palettes of Manhattan’s most discerning “foodies.” Members of the James Beard Foundation anticipate the opportunity to taste European and South American flavors of the menu, which has been influenced by Aruba’s diverse colonial history. The James Beard Foundation has been at the forefront of America’s culinary revolution as chefs from the finest restaurants cook in the kitchen of James Beard’s legendary Greenwich Village home since 1986. For more information contact: Gina Stouffer/Michael Hicks at Lou Hammond & Associates. Phone: 305-443-8862. Email: ginag@lhammond.com or michaelh@lhammond.com. Or visit: www.louhammond.com .

CULTURAL:

•Okeanos Spa at the Renaissance Aruba Resort currently has the art works by Jeanne Ecury on show until the spa undergoes a complete makeover. The canvases make an intense and lively impact and are ready to be bought and take home. These artworks are the result of two years of hard work by the local artist. Feel free to drop by and add a wonderful piece of Aruban art to your private collection.

•The Foundation “Hanchi Blou” (Blue Alley) officially starts renovation of the historic area in Oranjestad. Work will soon commence on the building “Flor di Oriente”, (originally, a club begun by the Portuguese Society of Aruba over a hundred years ago) which is now fronted by a traditional Aruban rum shop, the gathering place for many musicians, artists and individuals steeped in the old time culture of Aruba. The 5.2 million florins ($3 million) will convert the surrounding buildings and the tiny alley that divides them into a cultural center and home for the Caribbean University of Aruba and will likely open the doors of the first phase by the middle of next year. Not only will the Blue Alley be home of the university, but the historic buildings will also become a cultural center, housing a theatre, an art gallery, auditorium and art and crafts shop. The alley itself will be converted into a promenade with outdoor cafes featuring street artists and performers, beautifully landscaped, and making it a center for learning, culture, entertainment and of interest to locals and tourists alike.

GENERAL

•The 17th Annual Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta edition is off to a great start. Ten separate races embarking daily from beautiful Palm Beach, treating those on shore to a spectacular visual of colorful sails dotting the Caribbean horizon and darting across the Aruban landscape. Approximately 50 teams from the Netherlands, England, Switzerland, Belgium, France and Aruba will take the helm at this exhilarating and competitive event.

Aruba Post N.V. prepared a set of commemorative stamps with the sailing motive, celebrating the Heineken Aruba Catamaran Regatta. The artist is Elvis Tromp, and in his own words he gives a brief explanation of the stamps:

40c Represents the catamarans set on the beach before the race. It's a beautiful seascape, the boats with their vibrant colors on the beautiful sugar white beaches of Aruba

80c & 130c 2 designs represents the different angles and views of the race. The stamps show the race as watched from the beach.

125C This stamp shows a close up of a lady during a race.

This emission is available at the Postal Offices of Oranjestad, San Nicolas, Santa Cruz and Port of Call starting on November 8, 2007 until November 7, 2008 for all our clients that would like to have this special issue.

These stamps can be ordered as well via e-mail: philatelic@postaruba.com .

Catch a glimpse of the action on www.arubaregatta.com for daily video updates and images of the activities and the stamps.

•The Wild Aruba 2008 Committee is preparing for a congress on preservation of Aruba’s nature. The commission supported by the government, private sector, local and international NGO’s – is preparing the first congress covering the topic of preservation of Aruba’ s nature, including the participation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The congress will consist of two parts, a symposium featuring international and local speakers on the first two days and the second part of the congress (three days) will include workshops where local stake holders will jointly prepare a five year action plan with a long term vision for the next 10 year. The invited speakers will explain in detail on research and experiences with species from the island’s flora and fauna. Land based specimens as well as marine life will be included in the lectures. For more information contact Theo Wools of the Veterinary Service at (297) 585-0400, Roy Croes of the Parke Nacional Arikok at (297) 585-1234, Facundo Franken of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Husbandry at (297) 585-8102 or Castro Perez of the Aruba Tourism Authority at (297) 582-3777.