Cruise Tourism Boost: Carnival Corporation brought Carnival Horizon ship visits to Aruba (Aug. 18), Bonaire (Aug. 5 & 19) and Curaçao (Aug. 20), pairing government and tourism talks with student ship tours—another reminder that cruise operations keep feeding local hospitality and jobs. Sports & Community: Caribbean Mercantile Bank (CMB) renewed its three-year partnership with Aruba Beach Tennis, backing the Aruba Open Beach Tennis Championship and the community energy around it. Local Food Production: 297 Farm expanded with a new 1,500 m² cucumber greenhouse, moving from leafy greens into vine crops to strengthen Aruba’s locally grown supply. Energy Security: RECIP-3 expansion at WEB Aruba added two Wärtsilä engines for 36 MW of firm capacity, aiming to meet rising demand and reduce power shortage risk. Tourism Spending Snapshot: Visa data shows 304,308 cardholders from 136 countries spent USD 184.9M in Aruba (Jan–Jun), led by restaurants/food (USD 56.7M), then accommodation and retail. Earthquake Alerts Upgrade: Meteo Aruba outlined its earthquake communication protocol (5.0+ in the Caribbean) and said it’s working to improve public alert delivery. Aruba on the Calendar: Art Fashion 2026 returns with “Nature Meets Mankind” (new venue), while the Aruba Art Fair heads to San Nicolas Sept. 11–13.