Throw WiFi to the Wind (Trade Winds That Is) with Aruba’s Vacation Deprivation Retreats

Hotels and Resorts Island-Wide Invite Guests to

Forego Email & Immerse Themselves in Island Life

Oranjestad, Aruba – May 12, 2008 – In 2008, Americans will total more than 460 million of unused vacation days!⁺  This epidemic has been dubbed “vacation deprivation,” as hundreds of millions of Americans are foregoing their allotted vacation time for a lackluster life behind a desk.  However, those who do take time off may have a guilt problem on their hands – one-in-nine Americans have lied to their employers about accessibility while on vacation!⁺⁺  To keep noses from growing and to turn “little white lies” into big white sandy beaches, various Aruban hotels and resorts are encouraging visitors to embrace a complete disconnect while on vacation by shunning cyberspace, letting go of laptops and saying bye-bye Blackberries!  The island where happiness lives is introducing Vacation Deprivation getaways, designed for weary workers who really need a tropical retreat.

Focused solely on guests’ relaxation, hotels and resorts across the island are willing to pull out the big guns to ensure email-less leisure time.  Here are highlights from Aruba’s Vacation Deprivation retreats:

·        The Mill Resort & Suites is offering guests the opportunity to hand over laptops and Blackberries at check-in to be kept in the hotel safe.  The Mill will also remove TVs, phones, etc. from guestrooms, and even turn off WiFi upon request. Those taking advantage of Vacation Deprivation can also request a room in a quiet area, set up a private massage and more.

·        By turning over distracting devices at in the front desk to the resort’s “PC protectors and BlackBerry bodyguards,” guests at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino will then be able to truly indulge in ultimate Aruban relaxation.

·        The Larimar Spa at the Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino is totally WiFi free – and proud of it!  The perfect spot to unwind, guests won’t even have to think twice about disconnecting.  The spa features a central courtyard and private terraces – along with a menu of over 40 treatments, fitness center, and salon – allowing visitors to enjoy much needed quiet time. 

·        Also happy to help visitors unplug and enjoy their vacation time are the Bucuti Beach Resort Aruba and the Costa Linda Beach Resort, both offering to hold any and all e-devices under lock and key while their guests truly unwind.

“Our number one priority is ensuring that visitors to Aruba enjoy a truly unforgettable vacation here and if that means totally disconnecting from their work lives back home, then we will make that happen for them,” said managing director for the Aruba Tourism Authority, Myrna Jansen-Feliciano.  “Our hotel and resort partners saw the growing number of travelers desperate for a real vacation where they could immerse themselves in island life and relaxation.  In response to this trend, they created these unique offerings designed to allow guests to embrace their vacation and enjoy every moment of it, without the stresses of work weighing on their minds.”

For more information on planning a trip to Aruba visit online at www.aruba.com or call 1.800.TO.ARUBA.

Aruba, where happiness lives, is truly a vacationer's paradise.  Located only two-and-a-half hours by air from Miami and four hours from New York City, the island is ideally situated outside the hurricane belt and boasts year-round cooling trade winds and perfect weather with average annual temperatures of 82 Fahrenheit and less than 20 inches of rainfall per year.  Aruba serves up 27 luxurious hotels/resorts, championship golf courses, sumptuous spas, vibrant casinos, extraordinary international cuisine, exclusive shops and boutiques, exciting land and water activities, unique cultural to-dos, world-famous music festivals and events and more. The backdrop of a pristine tropical escape coupled with the unforgettable hospitality of the islands people keep Aruba’s first-time guests delighted and its repeat visitor rate at 40%, the highest of any Caribbean destination.   For more information on planning a trip to Aruba, contact the Aruba Tourism Authority at 1-800-TO-ARUBA or visit www.aruba.com .

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