ORANJESTAD/SCHIPHOL — Minister Otmar Oduber of Tourism, Labor and Transport (AVP) and Schiphol Group reached an agreement to limit the involvement of the Dutch company with the Aruban airport. Schiphol Group no longer has the possibility to buy up to 49 percent of the shares in the Reina Beatrix airport, nor will they acquire a seat in the Board of Commissioners.
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In addition, a second director will be appointed for the airport. This director is from Aruban origin and he/she will operate together with the current director. The set objective is to have an Aruban director for the airport. The new agreements are formalized in three riders to the current contract. They are the result of several meetings that had been started in July already. Together with Minister-President Mike Eman (AVP), Oduber spoke with Schiphol Group last September on more participation of the Aruban government in the airport. Four of the five seats in the Board of Commissioners are currently occupied. Upon his return to the island, Minister Oduber will appoint a new commissioner now that Schiphol is no longer entitled to the open seat.
The press report of Minister Oduber points out that Schiphol will remain a strategic partner of the airport. He hopes that this form of cooperation will continue for many years, but still finds it’s up to Aruba to make sure the airport contributes towards tourism on the island. Oduber emphasizes the airport will have to focus on service provision instead of commercial objectives. "The airport should become a place where the tourist feels he/she wants to return to island – from the very first to the very last impression – and advertise our island on the various markets" according to the press report from Minister Oduber, who will be staying in the Netherlands until tomorrow. The Minister also held conversations amongst others with public transport company Connexxion on a strategic partnership with Arubus. As example, he mentioned the contract of Schiphol Group with Reina Beatrix airport. He also had conversations with KLM, tour operator TUI and the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Environment, Melanie Schultz van Haegen-Maas Geesteranus (VVD).
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