SITE SELECTS ARUBA AS DESTINATION OF 2009 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

CHICAGO - The Society of Incentive Travel Executives has selected the island of Aruba to be the host country of the SITE International Conference 2009, set for 3-6 December. The event will bring the top minds in incentive travel, a multi-billion dollar global industry, to one of the Caribbean's most celebrated destinations.

"SITE's membership is rich with innovators who greatly influence not only the evolution of the incentive industry, but also the business outcomes of client organizations," said SITE President Padraic Gilligan. "The SITE International Conference is a superlative forum where professionals from around the world gather to share insights that help them achieve professional goals, surpass client expectations, and have a meaningful and positive impact on economies of destination cities around the world."

These principals of community, leadership and growth guide SITE's vision - as well as its commitment to selecting distinct locales for its own events. Aruba, situated in the southern Caribbean just 15 miles from the South American coastline, is a tropical paradise with a rich heritage. Residents proudly showcase the island's cultural and environmental diversity, and are equally devoted to respecting and preserving the island's pristine marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

"Aruba is ideal for SITE's constituency," said SITE CEO Brenda Anderson. "Sharing experiential knowledge is imperative for incentive and travel professionals who wish to enhance expertise and better understand this worldwide industry. Aruba offers a unique setting; it's a model for promoting economic development with a keen eye toward cultural and environmental sensitivity - both of which are top-of-mind for SITE members and the organizations they work with to implement programs that drive business success," she added.

"We were thrilled to hear of SITE's decision to make Aruba its host location for the 2009 International Conference," said Minister of Tourism and Transportation, Edison Briesen. "The incentive travel industry is an important one for our island and we are looking forward to showcasing the many things that sets Aruba apart from the rest of the Caribbean region throughout the conference. We are confident that SITE's commitment to bringing together the most influential minds in this field, coupled with Aruba's dedication to delivering an unmatched travel experience to all our guests, is a recipe for success."

Read more about SITE and its activities at www.site-intl.org.

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About SITE
Founded in 1973, SITE is the only international, not-for-profit, professional association devoted to the pursuit of excellence in incentives, a multi-billion dollar global industry. SITE provides educational seminars and information services to those who design, develop, promote, sell, administer, and operate motivational programs as an incentive to increase productivity in business. SITE has more than 2,100 members in 87 countries, and 35 local and regional chapters. Members represent corporate executives, incentive companies, destination management companies, travel & event planners, official tourist organizations, transportation companies, hotels and resorts, cruise lines, trade publications, and supporting organizations such as restaurants and visitors attractions.

About 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 southern fringes of 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.