No.12/2009 - 13th August, 2009

 

In this edition
Antigua's highest peak named Mount Obama
 
Discounting is not the answer.
 
German E-learning programme
 
Mastering the Art of Online sales
 
Delta's Winter Schedule
 
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New Members
  
- Columbian Emeralds
 
- Island Gems Antigua
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On the Move
  
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Average Hotel occupancies 2009 & 2008
 
                         2009            2008
January -    62.4%  -     74.1%
February -   73.9% -     81.1%
March -         69.3% -    72.7%
April -            60.2% -    72.4%
May -             55.0% -    63.7% 
June -            50.5% -    57.3% 
July -             52.0% -    58.2%
 
2008
August - 57.8%
September - 42.1%
October - 50.9%
November - 63.8%
December - 58.1%
Total year 2008 - 63.1%
 
 
For more detailed information
click here
 
For the latest CTO statistics on international arrivals to the Caribbean for 2009
click here. (last update August 5th)
 
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Summer 2009 Closures
 
Admirals Inn - 2nd June - 14th November
Blue Waters - 30th August - 10th October
Carlisle Bay - 29th August - 17th October
Copper & Lumber - 15th August - 15th October
Curtain Bluff - 31st July - 31st October
Hermitage Bay - 6th September - 5th October
Galleon Beach - 1st June - 24th October
Long Bay - 1st September - 12th October
The Inn - 7th June - 1st November
 
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 Upcoming Events
     
Christian Valley Mango Festival 2009 -
15th & 16th August
 
TOP RESA - Paris
22nd - 25th September
 
Small Hotels Retreat - Saint Thomas
30th September - 2nd October
 
World Travel Market - Excel, London
9th - 12th November
 
Marketplace 2010 - San Juan
10th - 12th January 2010
 
BIT Milan
22nd - 25th February 2010
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is at your service to help you fill those vacant positions. At no cost we will post any vacant positions to the website.
 
Just send in the details to the AHTA Office
 
       
Welcome to the Newsletter of the Antigua Hotels & Tourist Association.  
 
 Antigua’s Highest Peak Renamed
‘Mt. Obama’

Antigua’s highest mountain officially became “Mount Obama” on Tuesday 4th Auigust as the nation celebrated the American President on his birthday and saluted him as a symbol of black achievement. Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer presided over the re-christening ceremony at the base of the mountain, unveiling a stone sculpture and plaque honoring the president as an inspiration in the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda and throughout the Caribbean.

 

Discounting is not the Answer 
While hoteliers suffer sleepless nights the debate continues as to whether they should discount prices in light of the economic climate. In reality, it has never been more important to revisit your revenue and pricing strategies. Research shows that discounting prices can have both long and short term negative effects and when one hotel discounts prices, the competition soon follows. This renders the activity purposeless and can potentially damage future profitability.
By Samantha Hasler , www.ehotelier.com
More...
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority launches E-Learning Programme for German speaking travel agents
In July the German Office of The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority proudly launched the first web-based educational programme in German language. The programme consists of two courses, outlining the highlights of both islands to travel agents in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Besides the educational part with many pictures a forum for discussions and questions, a circumstantial download section with selling arguments, competitions etc. is available for all attendees. At the end of the course a quiz tests the agents about their newly gained knowledge.

The Antigua and Barbuda programme was programmed by the DTI Academy (German Tourism Institute), being one of the largest providers of educational programmes in Germany. DTI has already successfully implemented programmes for destinations like Mexico, France or Japan.

Due to aggressive promotion of the new programme in the German speaking trade media and via e-mailings to the German office’s comprehensive database more than 1,000 travel agents are expected to successfully complete the seminar. This expectation can be underlined by the fact that in the first week after the launch already 200 registrations were counted. The participation in the programme is free.

After the completion of the second course end of this year the 10 best agents will be invited to experience the destination and its tourism product during a familiarisation trip to Antigua and Barbuda, scheduled for spring 2010. The registration for the German educational programme may be found under www.antigua-barbuda-schulung.de. 

      

   

Mastering The Art of Online Sales Through Hotel Website

 
The content on your proprietary website performs two separate, and extremely important, functions. The first is to attract visitors to your site through organic search; second, to generate interest and drive visitors to your site's booking page. Two reasons why hotel site content must be the primary focus of a site's design and why site content must be carefully shaped and written to produce sales
By Neil Salerno , www.ehotelier.com
More...  
 
Delta's Winter Schedule
 
                                   
New York JFK - Antigua
SEP 01 - Oct 31st SUN ONLY
NOV 01 - DEC 01 WED - SUN
DEC 02 - DEC 22 WED - SAT - SUN
DEC 23 - JAN 03 WED - THR - SAT - SUN
JAN 04 - FEB 11 SUN ONLY
FEB 12 - APR 11 WED - THR - SAT - SUN
APR 12 - APR 30 SUN ONLY

Atlanta - Antigua
SEP 01 - DEC 22 SAT ONLY
DEC 23 - JAN 02 WED - FRI - SAT
JAN 03 - FEB 12 SAT ONLY
FEB 13 - APR 11 WED - FRI - SAT
APR 12 - MAY 01 SAT ONLY
 
 
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Antigua Hotels & Tourist Association
PO Box 454, Island House, Newgate Street
St John's
Antigua
E-mail: neil@antiguahotels.org
http://www.antiguahotels.org