NEWS FROM THE TOURISM SECTOR

From the Director's Desk New Tax Structure: TCB has been working very hard with government to help define and finalize the new tax structure mandated by the island council. Your concerns have been received and I want to assure all of our tourism partners that each issue is being addressed. The most important concern is that the final levy is equitable and be instituted in a seamless manner. Please note that we will be the main conduit for all factual information and any other sources, while they may contain pertinent points, TCB and Government will be the official source. We will continue to keep you all updated with all the information and dates, etc. as we receive them in our office. Thank you for the continued support and feedback you have given us. As you know, it is our common goal to make Bonaire a destination that visitors will want to keep on returning to year after year! New Assistant GM: I would like to say welcome to the TCB family to Dyrichemar (Rico ) Martis. He has returned to the Netherlands Antilles after 12 years in Holland with a strong background in marketing, He will be assisting us in all our existing projects and helping to develop new ones. I am sure you will get a chance to meet him during the coming months. We are glad to have him aboard! Jazz Festival: We are looking forward to the Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival which will take place May 25-28. TCB has been busy contacting our sister islands as well as other destinations to promote this annual event. It is no secret that Bonaire has been hosting Jazz music venues for some time and it seems that this popular music has endured for a long time. For details, log on to www.bonairejazz.com. Hope to see you there! Dive Into Adventure Bonaire: DIAB is on track and we are busy putting on the final touches. Our attendance is running on par with the initial dive festival figures and we anticipate this annual venue to grow in scope and importance and bring our local “stars” to light and allow them to shine in an industry that is focused on conservation and preservation. We are looking forward to subsequent events and to build a record of successes. All in all, I expect Dive Into Adventure Bonaire to be a successful and innovative experience for all attendees. Airlift: Each month I like to touch on airlift and arrivals. As I have mentioned before, the 3 less AJ flights continue to play negatively on our stats, however Continental’s full flights will help offset some to the loss well into the year. We continue to explore all our options and it still looks quite good for a positive report on additional seats from the US market. Focus Groups: As part of our efforts to generate primary data and learn more about our visitors, TCB has been conducting research in all of our main markets and has recently completed 4 focus group sessions on island, whereby visitors with varying profiles provided extensive input on various aspects of our tourism and our product. I must extend my thanks to Scott Barlass, Alan Gross, and Jane Townsend for working alongside TCB on this project and for giving their valuable input. At the same time I want to thank accomodations that contributed in recruiting the appropriate participants. Bonaire's united promotional front: I am happy to announce another positive development that has recently been crystalized. In the effort to create one united front for Bonaire on the areas of marketing and PR, the Island Government together with TCB, Bonhata and BHG have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Parties have jointly developed the content of this document which inlcudes the intention to establish a new organization whereby members unite forces on the areas of destination marketing and PR. With signing of the document, parties commit to work together and together form the basis and structure of this new organization, and do their utmost to have this in place a.s.a.p. A special vote of thank you goes to Senator Booi, Minister el Hage, Commissioner Emerenciana, Martien Van der Valk and Boudewijn Scholts for their efforts in making this first step towards a consistent, strong and united Bonaire promotion happen. Back to the top New Bonaire Ambassadors AWARDED GOLD:  Peggy Gaver & Bruce Whistler Peggy Gaver and Bruce Whistler have been visiting the island for 21 years, with more than one visit per year at times. They have been honored as Gold Bonaire Ambassadors recently. They first came to Bonaire in 1985, a year after they were certified, thinking that the trip to Bonaire would be the first one stop on their way to visit many Caribbean Islands. Though they did visit other islands to dive, they found themselves always returning, every year, to Bonaire. They first stayed at Divi Flamingo, a Divi Flamingo few would recognize today. They slept in little rooms, were not sure when the water and electricity would go off. Under such circumstances, normally they wouldn’t have returned. However, the beautiful water and reef, the warm and friendly people and the relaxed, small-island feel, kept them returning year after year. According to Peggy and Bruce, Bonaire is addictive, they feel it every time and are thankful for the return trips. It is a pleasure for Tourism Corporation Bonaire to recognize Peggy and Bruce as Bonaire Ambassadors. We thank them for their visits, the love they share for the island and we are happy to see them year after year. Congratulations and Thank You! AWARDED GOLD:  Pat & Irwin Nejdi Tourism Corporation Bonaire recently honored two special visitors, Pat and Irwin Nejdi. Pat and Irwin have been visiting for the last 20 years and describe their feelings every time they land on the island as peaceful and serene. As Pat and Irwin further describe their love for Bonaire, “Once again, as for the past 20 years, Bonaire invites us to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature and the beauty of friendships both new and old.” Over the years, they have enjoyed the island of Bonaire with friends of the Chicago Scubaneer Dive Club and with 3 generations of family. Pat and Irwin love the diving and have introduced this to their families also, who have been instructed by instructors at Divi Flamingo, the hotel they visit every year. Among their memorable moments on the island, are the dives they have shared with their loved ones. What they love about Bonaire, besides the diving, are the plants, colorful flowers , the warm people, hence the whole atmosphere that is brought to life when they are on island. As the couple says,“For us, Bonaire is an island about the past, the present, and the future. Thank you for making Bonaire our second home.” It is a pleasure for Tourism Corporation Bonaire to recognize Pat and Irwin as Gold Bonaire Ambassadors. Congratulations and thank you!   AWARDED GOLD:  Steve & Heidi Polakoff Mr. Steve Polakoff and Mrs. Heidi Polakoff have been visiting Bonaire for the last 25 years, returning to their favorite destination again and again. Bonaire was chosen as their honeymoon destination in 1981 because of its reputation for great diving and the weather. Steve and Heidi stayed at the old Bonaire Beach Hotel and finished their certification there. Both returned to Bonaire when their daughter (now 21) was 9 months old, where, with the assistance of a babysitter, Steve and Heidi were able to enjoy the fantastic diving again. This special couple returned to Bonaire many times through the years. Both their children were certified for diving while in Bonaire. The diving and weather remain fabulous, but what keeps them coming back more so is the friendly people and the casual, laid-back atmosphere. Their new-found friends at Restaurant Cactus Blue heard about the 25 year story and quickly alerted Tourism Corporation Bonaire. Corinna and colleagues arranged for a special gathering at Cactus Blue in order to honor our new Gold Ambassadors. Representatives from Buddy Dive Resort, where the couple is staying, were also present for the ocassion. For Tourism Corporation Bonaire it is a pleasure to honor Mr. and Mrs. Polakoff as Gold Bonaire Ambassadors. We hope to see them back year after year. Congratulations! AWARDED SILVER:  Ralf & Charlotte They Love Bonaire! After snorkeling and scuba diving in Puerto Rico, St. Croix, Cozumel, Belize, Roatan (Honduras), and Hawaii, they followed the suggestions of friends, “go see Bonaire!” Ralf and Charlotte did and fell in love with it! Since that 1st time at Bonaire Beach, then Sunset Beach, then at the Sand Dollar they have been coming every year to enjoy this beautiful island, the rich marine life, the friendly Bonaire people, and the still unspoiled nature and the unsurpassed richness of the Bonaire Marine Park. According to Ralf and Charlotte, “It is comforting to see how fast nature, if undisturbed, repairs even the devastating destructions of the storm 6 years ago! The shore line between the Sand Dollar and Eden Beach is tearing with colorful swirls of fish of all kinds, colors and shapes, even colorful corals and sea anemones grow on the broken pieces of former piers and docks! This is their 16th Bonaire vacation and they hope to be able to come for many more times. Ralf and Charlotte thank the people of Bonaire and give their best wishes for this beautiful place! They also give a very special and heartfelt “Danki” to all the Sand Dollar people who took such good care of them for so many years and made them feel at home. They are wonderful! Congratulations Ralf and Charlotte with your Silver Bonaire Ambassadors medals! AWARDED BRONZE:  Lady Alison Kremer   AWARDED BRONZE:  Marina & Reinhard Kowalke Marina and Reinhard Kowalke come from Berlin and have been visiting Bonaire since 1992. They were recently honored as Bonaire Ambassadors by the Tourism Corporation Bonaire. They love the friendly and helpful people from Bonaire and the fantastic reefs on the west side. When returning to Berlin in 1992, they were so impressed that they told a lot of members of their dive club, Duc Berlin, about Bonaire. Since then more than 10 other couples have visited Bonaire for diving and relaxation. Since 2004 they have been staying at Tropicana Apartments, after meeting Bob and Annemieke, and are happy with the accomodation. Marina has also learned the Papiamento language and can even speak and understand it. It is a pleasure for Tourism Corporation Bonaire to recognize Marina and Reinhard as Bonaire Ambassadors. We thank them for their visits, the love they share for the island and are happy to see them year after year. Congratulations and thank you! To see more of Bonaire's Bronze, Silver, or Gold Ambassadors, visit http://www.bonaireambassador.com! Back to the top