Mario F Arends has over 24 years working in Tourism with almost 20 years working in various capacities at the Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA), where he currently holds the position of Cruise Manager. Mario holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from Christelijke Hogeschool Noord Nederland. He started his career in the retail industry, managing different store locations in Oranjestad. In 2002, he joined the Aruba Tourism Authority, working initially in the Latin American markets, then focusing also on the North American markets. Mario spearheaded important projects at ATA, including the rebranding of Aruba’s tourism brand identity in 2008. In 2014, Mario was appointed as Cruise Manager, where he continues to work closely with local and international stakeholders in the promotion and development of Aruba as a cruise destination. Mario was appointed to the Board of the Tourism Product Enhancement Fund in 2018 and in 2019 was elected as Chairperson. In his spare time, Mario also dedicated to sports, where he volunteered in organizing local as well as international kart racing events and was Chairperson on the Board of KNAF Sectie Aruba, the sanctioning body for motorsports on the island.
