De Palm Tours

What De Palm Tours does

De Palm Tours V.B.A. is a privately held, family-owned tour operator headquartered in Oranjestad, Aruba, founded around 1958 by Harold D. Malmberg and now led by his children Ricky and Lisette Malmberg. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of on-island experiences including jeep and UTV safaris, catamaran sail-and-snorkel tours, island bus tours, the Atlantis Submarine Expedition (operated as part of the world's largest passenger submarine fleet), and access to its wholly owned De Palm Island private attraction. It also provides airport transfers, premium private charters via the Fortunata catamaran sub-brand, and corporate group/CSR experiences through its De Palm DMC division. Structurally, the company operates through wholly owned subsidiaries (De Palm Island V.B.A., De Palm Watersports V.B.A., De Palm Underwater Park V.B.A., De Palm DMC, Coconuts) under the De Palm Corporation V.B.A. holding entity, with ownership concentrated in the Malmberg family and no venture or private equity capital evidenced.

The company runs on a direct-to-consumer model with bookings made through its own website (integrated with the FareHarbor reservation platform), phone reservations, and channel partnerships with Aruba hotels/resorts and cruise lines; pricing is unit-based and per-person (or per-charter), with experiences ranging from $65 (catamaran snorkel) to $3,900 (full-day private charter) and flagship day products priced at $99 (submarine) and $119 (De Palm Island). Marketing spans organic social (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), content (website blog, Flipsnack digital magazine), and a substantial referral base on TripAdvisor (25,000+ five-star reviews). A distinctive differentiator is that De Palm Tours is the only EarthCheck Gold and GSTC certified tour operator in Aruba, with seven consecutive EarthCheck certifications; this regulatory positioning underpins both ESG-driven demand and access to corporate/MICE group business through De Palm DMC. Recent capital deployment has gone into fleet renewal (wildlife-themed jeeps in 2024, five new buses in March 2026) and new on-island products (Splash Park, October 2025), consistent with a multi-generational family business reinvesting cash flow into capacity and owned-asset expansion.

Name

De Palm Tours

Legal name

De Palm Tours V.B.A.

Website

https://depalm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

De Palm Tours is a privately held, family-owned tour operator in Aruba offering jeep/UTV safaris, catamaran sail-and-snorkel tours, submarine expeditions, the De Palm Island private attraction, airport transfers, and corporate group services to tourists visiting Aruba.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oranjestad

HQ country

Aruba

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tour Experiences: Revenue from selling guided tour experiences including jeep tours, UTV adventures, catamaran/sail snorkeling tours, submarine tours, island bus tours, and combo packages. Tours are sold on a per-person or per-group basis with various durations from 1 hour to full day experiences.
2. Private Charters: Premium private catamaran charter services including Half Day Sail Private Charter ($2,100-$3,900) and Full Day Sail Private Charter ($3,900) featuring curated bites, charcuterie boards, premium drinks, and flamingo encounters
3. De Palm Island Admission: Revenue from day admission to De Palm Island including access to water activities, slides, beaches, and amenities at $119 per person for 6 hours
4. Airport Transfers: Airport transfer services providing transportation in fully air-conditioned vehicles for arriving and departing visitors
5. Group/Event Services (DMC): Destination management company services for corporate groups including CSR initiatives, team building activities, and customized group experiences

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

De Palm Tours operates guided land, sea, and underwater excursions across Aruba, including Jeep safaris, UTV off-road adventures, catamaran sail and snorkel cruises, Atlantis submarine tours, bus tours, and combo packages. The company also owns and operates De Palm Island, a private island attraction with water slides, flamingos, waterpark, and SeaTrek helmet walks, plus airport transfer services and luxury private catamaran charters aboard Fortunata.

Product overview

De Palm Tours is a tour operator offering a diverse portfolio of tourism experiences in Aruba, including guided tours (Jeep safaris, UTV adventures, bus tours), water-based activities (catamaran sails, snorkeling, submarine expeditions), and access to the company's private De Palm Island. The portfolio comprises distinct tour categories (Jeep Tours, UTV Tours, Sail & Snorkel, Submarine Tours, Island Bus Tours, Combo Packages) alongside specific branded experiences like the Atlantis Submarine Tour, Palm Pleasure catamaran cruises, and the flagship De Palm Island attraction. Additional services include airport transfers and private charter options via Fortunata. The company positions itself as a comprehensive one-stop provider for Aruba tourism experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fortunata: Luxury catamaran for private charters including Half Day Sail and Full Day Sail experiences.
• Palm Pleasure
• The Giving Palm

Products and services

• Half Day Sail Private Charter

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 18 million submarine passengers served worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Sea Solutions N.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional environmental services partner that conducted the Natural Bridge beach cleanup on February 14-15, 2023, collecting over 5 tons of waste including wood, metal, plastic, and other debris. The partnership supports ongoing beach cleanup initiatives.
• Scubble BubblescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine conservation partner collaborating on monthly underwater cleanups of Spanish Lagoon and reef restoration projects. Joint efforts have removed up to 90 kg of debris and contributed data to Project AWARE's Dive Against Debris global survey.
• American University School of MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership supporting the Rise & Thrive Wellness Program, providing professional on-site health screenings including blood pressure, glucose levels, and BMI assessments for employees at De Palm Island and Main Office.
• Transition to HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth and nutrition workshop provider that delivered the 'Eating Healthy on a Budget' workshop for team members on May 21, 2025, including meal planning education and live cooking demonstrations.
• Cas di mi ChepaminorOthersRetirement home and revalidation center that received a donated scenic bus tour on March 18, 2025, providing Flag and Anthem Day celebration for senior citizens through The Giving Palm foundation.
• Atlantis SubmarinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubmarine tourism operation celebrating 35 years in Aruba, part of the world's largest passenger submarine fleet with over 18 million passengers served globally and 500,000+ dives completed.
• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationBooking platform integration embedded on De Palm Tours website for online reservations, providing seamless booking flow for customers across all tour experiences and services.
• EPI (Excellence Performance Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution hosting the Art for a Greener Tomorrow competition and participating in Meet the Industry Week, connecting students with tourism career opportunities.
• SPO (Scol Practico Opleidende)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational school whose students visited De Palm Tours operations in April 2025 for real-world career exposure, including submarine operations tour and fleet maintenance demonstrations.
• PET Recycling PlantminorOthersOff-island recycling facility receiving compacted plastic bales from De Palm Tours' Green Initiative, transforming collected plastics into new materials.
• Scrubble Bubbles FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental foundation providing judges for Art for a Greener Tomorrow competition, including Nichole Danser who contributed to sustainability art contest evaluation.
• EcoTech FreezoneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner providing judge Edwards Jiménez for Art for a Greener Tomorrow sustainability competition.
• Metabolic FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental foundation providing judge Tony Sevold for Art for a Greener Tomorrow sustainability art competition.
• Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and CasinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury resort venue hosting De Palm DMC's Art for a Cause CSR event, transforming live artistic experience into community support.
• De Palm DMCcoreOthersDestination management company division handling corporate group experiences, CSR initiatives, and specialized group bookings. Website: depalmdmc.com

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Atlantis Submarines (global operations outside Aruba): Atlantis Submarines operates passenger submarine tours in Hawaii, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and other Caribbean destinations. De Palm is the Aruba deployment partner for the same global submarine brand, making it directly comparable in core technology, vessel type, and 130-ft dive experience — just on a different island.
• ShoreTrips: ShoreTrips is a curated marketplace for Caribbean, European, and worldwide shore excursions, including Aruba offerings. Comparable in that it aggregates and resells tour experiences — including De Palm's own products — competing for the same cruise and resort guest excursion dollars.
• ABBA Tours Aruba: ABBA Tours offers guided island, catamaran, and ATV tours in Aruba and other Caribbean destinations. Directly competes in the same Aruban land-and-sea excursion categories and serves the same tourist and cruise passenger segments as De Palm.
• Island Routes Caribbean Adventures: Island Routes is the Caribbean tour operator owned by Sandals/ATL that bundles shore excursions across multiple islands. Directly comparable business model: multi-product tour portfolio (boat, Jeep, ATV, catamaran, private charters) sold through cruise line and hotel partnerships, though operating across many islands rather than one.
• Pelican Adventures Aruba: Pelican Adventures is one of Aruba's other established tour operators offering catamaran sails, snorkeling, and island tours. Direct head-to-head competitor in the same Aruban excursion market with overlapping product categories (sail/snorkel, snorkel trips) and the same cruise/hotel customer base.

Emerging players

• Castaway Cay / Half Moon Cay private cruise destinations: Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Cay and similar private cruise line islands (MSC Ocean Cay) represent a competing "owned private island experience" model. Comparable in delivering a curated private-island day experience that competes with De Palm Island for cruise passenger excursion spend, though these are cruise line-owned assets.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Caribbean Shore Excursions: Royal Caribbean operates and resells shore excursions through its private destinations program (e.g., Labadee, CocoCay) and curated third-party tours. Comparable as both a competing source of excursions for cruise passengers visiting Aruba and a key distribution channel for De Palm's tour products.
• Viator (a Tripadvisor company): Viator is the world's largest online marketplace for tours and activities, listing De Palm's offerings alongside thousands of competitors globally. Comparable as both a distribution platform De Palm sells through and a competitor aggregating the same Aruba excursion demand.
• Norwegian Cruise Line Shore Excursions: Norwegian offers curated third-party and operated shore excursions across Caribbean ports including Aruba. Comparable as a cruise line that both competes with and routes demand to operators like De Palm for Aruba port days.
• Sandals/Beaches Resorts (ATL Group): Sandals operates all-inclusive Caribbean resorts with bundled excursions and its own tour operation (Island Routes). Comparable as a broader Caribbean hospitality and excursion incumbent that competes for the same affluent tourist excursion wallet, especially in group and wedding segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/depalmtours
• Facebookfacebook.com/DePalmToursAruba
• Instagraminstagram.com/depalmtoursaruba
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/depalmtours

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about De Palm Tours