AHATA LTD

What AHATA LTD does

AHATA (Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association) is a non-profit trade association serving as the official national voice of Aruba's private hotel and tourism industry. The organization represents 151 member companies spanning hotels and resorts (including Marriott, Ritz-Carlton Aruba, Barcelo, Bucuti & Tara, Renaissance), timeshare properties, short-term vacation rentals, casino operators, tour/activity companies, and allied service providers. AHATA operates from a single headquarters in Oranjestad, Aruba, led by President & CEO Tisa LaSorte and a 13-person board of directors.

AHATA's core products and programs center on industry advocacy, professional development, recognition, and workforce development. Key offerings include annual membership with tiered categories (Active, Allied, Association, Casino) featuring voting rights and CHTA marketplace access; the AHATA Excellence Awards recognizing 40+ tourism workers annually; the AHATA Impact Awards for ESG-focused member companies; a Job Center portal for industry recruitment; supervisory training bootcamps delivered in partnership with CHTA Education Foundation; position papers on tourism policy; and three operational committees (Environmental, Casino, and the Aruba Hospitality & Security Foundation). Technology infrastructure is limited to a standard association website (ahata.com) with SSL encryption, analytics, and social media channels.

AHATA generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues on a recurring subscription basis across its four membership tiers, supplemented by event sponsorship revenue from Excellence Awards, Impact Awards, and training programs (sponsors include Balashi Brewery, Elite Productions & Entertainment, and The Ritz-Carlton Aruba). The go-to-market motion combines direct membership recruitment, community-led engagement through industry events and ambassador campaigns ('Ami Ta Turismo'), event-driven retention mechanisms (awards ceremonies), and joint sales initiatives with the Aruba Tourism Authority and CHTA. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but follows a published annual fee structure differentiated by member category and company size.

Name

AHATA LTD

Legal name

Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association

Website

https://ahata.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AHATA is a non-profit trade association representing 151 tourism businesses in Aruba, including hotels, timeshare resorts, vacation rentals, casinos, and allied service providers, delivering advocacy, training, awards, and industry representation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Retirement Plan Advisory RIAs (ERISA 401(k)/403(b)) (FSAAACAF)

Keywords

• Hotel tourism association
• Industry advocacy services
• Membership trade association
• Tourism policy representation
• Hospitality training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Oranjestad

HQ country

Aruba

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: AHATA generates revenue through annual membership dues from Active members (hotels, timeshare, vacation rentals), Allied members (suppliers, service providers), Association members, and Casino members. Fee structure is published annually with different tiers based on member category and size.
2. Events and Programs: Revenue generated through sponsored events including Excellence Awards and Impact Awards, with sponsorship from companies like Elite Productions & Entertainment, Balashi Brewery, and The Ritz-Carlton Aruba.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AHATA is a non-profit trade association that delivers industry advocacy, lobbying, networking, training, and benchmarking services to its 151 member companies across Aruba's hotel, timeshare, vacation rental, and tourism activity sectors. Core paid deliverables include annual membership subscriptions, sponsored awards ceremonies (Excellence Awards, Impact Award), and certified training bootcamps conducted in partnership with CHTAEF. Additional services include a Job Center portal, monthly tourism performance statistics (occupancy, ADR, RevPAR), and committees covering environmental sustainability, casino interests, and hospitality security.

Product overview

AHATA (Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association) is a non-profit trade association serving as the national voice of Aruba's hotel and tourism industry. The organization operates a membership-based structure offering advocacy, networking, and professional development programs. Key offerings include the AHATA Excellence Awards and AHATA Impact Award recognition programs; the AHATA Job Center for industry recruitment; supervisory training bootcamps in partnership with CHTA Education Foundation; Environmental Committee sustainability initiatives; Aruba Hospitality & Security Foundation; and Position Papers on tourism policy. The association also publishes monthly tourism performance data including occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR statistics for its 151 member companies spanning hotels, timeshare resorts, vacation rentals, and tourism service providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AHATA Membership Annual trade association membership for Aruba's tourism businesses across Active (hotels, timeshare, vacation rentals), Allied (suppliers, service providers), Association, and Casino categories. Members receive advocacy, industry representation, networking events, training, CHTA marketplace access, and voting rights in the General Assembly.
• Supervisory Training Bootcamp Two-day certified leadership training program 'Own Your Supervisory Authority Responsibly' followed by an advanced one-day 'Supercharged Bootcamp for Supervisors and Managers'. Delivered in partnership with Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) for supervisors and department heads across hotels, restaurants, timeshare, and vacation rentals. 75 managers and supervisors certified in December 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tourism industry supports 87% of employment and 88% of GDP in Aruba
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aruba Hospitality & Security Foundation (AHSF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Founded by AHATA in 2001 with Aruba Police Department support to address safety and security in tourism. AHATA holds two representatives including the Chair position. AHSF provides visibility teams, equipment for police mobility, and security training in Eagle and Palm Beach areas.
• Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHTAEF collaborates with AHATA on training programs for supervisors and managers. Programs include 'Own Your Supervisory Authority Responsibly' bootcamps. CHTAEF provides educational resources, certification programs, and access to regional trade association benefits for AHATA members.
• Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHATA is a key partner of ATA with significant input into marketing strategies. Three of seven ATA board members are nominated by AHATA. Jointly organizes sales events and travel agent familiarization trips. ATA funds the Aruba Hospitality & Security Foundation from accommodation taxes.
• Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAHATA Active members gain access to CHTA's Marketplace, educational conferences, and valuable educational materials and programs. Allied members also benefit from information exclusively from CHTA.
• Aruba Trade and Industry Association (ATIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHATA is represented on ATIA's board, fostering strong bond between employer organizations and allowing synergy in lobbying efforts and economic development analysis.
• Water- en Energiebedrijf Aruba N.V. (WEB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHATA Board meets with WEB management for dialogue on electricity demand and utility infrastructure. Discusses sustainable energy solutions including wind turbines.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ASONAHORES (Asociación de Hoteles y Turismo de la República Dominicana): ASONAHORES is the Dominican Republic's national hotel and tourism association, a broad regional incumbent with a much larger membership base than AHATA. Comparable mandate but operates at greater scale across a larger Caribbean destination market.
• Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA): CHTA is the regional umbrella for Caribbean national hotel and tourism associations, including AHATA itself. It is the most direct structural peer: AHATA is a member and feeds CHTA's marketplace, training, and advocacy programs, while CHTA operates a wider Caribbean portfolio.

Regional players

• Bermuda Hotel Association: Bermuda's national hotel association serves a similar Caribbean-adjacent island tourism economy with advocacy, training, and member-services functions. Geographically outside the Caribbean proper but highly comparable in structure and mission to AHATA.
• Hawaii Tourism Association (HTA): HTA is a destination-marketing and industry-association body for Hawaii's tourism industry. While jurisdictionally different, it is structurally similar to AHATA: island-based, tied to a tourism-dependent economy, and focused on advocacy and member engagement.

Direct peers

• Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA): BHTA represents Barbados's accommodation and tourism operators and offers a very similar set of services to AHATA—advocacy, recognition programs, training, and policy positions. Comparable in scale, mandate, and Caribbean single-island focus.
• Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA): SLHTA is the national trade body for Saint Lucia's tourism industry. Same single-island Caribbean context, similar advocacy and member-services mandate, and comparable membership scale to AHATA.
• Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA): JHTA is the national private-sector trade association for Jamaica's hotel and tourism industry, the closest country-level analogue to AHATA. Both organizations perform advocacy, training, and member-services roles for a single island economy dependent on tourism.
• Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA): BHTA is the national hotel and tourism association for The Bahamas, with a comparable advocacy, training, and member-services portfolio over a multi-island Caribbean tourism economy. Directly comparable in function and structure to AHATA.

Others

• Aruba Hospitality & Security Foundation (AHSF): AHSF was founded by AHATA in 2001 to address tourism safety and security. It is a foundation spin-off rather than a peer, but as an affiliated entity operating in the same value chain it is a relevant adjacent comparable for understanding AHATA's broader ecosystem.
• Aruba Trade and Industry Association (ATIA): ATIA is Aruba's broader private-sector employer association, with AHATA sitting on its board. Comparable governance and advocacy role but covers all industries rather than tourism specifically—an adjacent peer rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/arubahotelandtourismassociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/arubahata
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aruba-hotel-tourism-association

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 AHATA LTD