No.10 - August 19th, 2008

 

In this edition
Let's Recycle
 
British Airways fares to WTM
 
AHTA donates window to the Museum
 
Caribbean Hotels Retreat
 
Delivering World Class Service - Function vs Purpose
 
Breakfast Meeting
  
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New Members August 2008
 
Hemmingways Restaurant,
St John's
 
Jolly Harbour Realty
 
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 Hotel closures Summer 2008
Sunsail Colonna - May - October 17th
Jumby Bay - June 6th - 2009
Carlisle Bay - August 30th - October 10th
Curtain Bluff - August 23rd - November 1st
Admiral's Inn - August 12th - October 18th
Galleon Beach - May 31st -
Long Bay - May 6th - November 1st
Hermitage Bay - September 1st - October 6th
The Inn - May 1st - November 1st
AYCM Resort - September 1st - November 1st.
Blue Heron by rex resorts -
August 5th - December 5th
LightHouse Bay Resort 
1st Sept - 25th October
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Average Hotel occupancies 2008
 
January - 74.1%
February - 81.1%
March - 72.7%
April - 72.4%
May - 63.7%
June - 57.3%
July - 58.2%
 
For more detailed information
click here
 
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 Upcoming Events
 
Breakfast Meeting with Minister Lovell
Sandals Grand Antigua
- 21st August
 
Seafood Festival 
Catamaran Marina, 
-27th September
 
Marriott St Kitts
- 1st - 3rd October
 

Multi Purpose Centre
- 11th October
 
World Travel Market
                
 - 10th - 13th November
 
 
Saint Lucia
- 18 - 20th January
 
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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.

Let's Recycle

  
 
On Thursday August 14th Mario Bento of the Rotary Club Antigua Sundown addressed a group of AHTA members gathered for the Monthly Luncheon in the Vyvien's Restaurant at Blue Waters. With the help of the UNDP and the British High Commission the Rotary Club established a recycling plant at Powell's Estate. Although the plant is presently only capable of processing aluminium cans and plastic water bottles it is hoped to expand this to glass and paper in the future. So far the plant has processed 250.000lbs of plastic and 30.000lbs of aluminium which have been shipped overseas for recycling.
 
After the initial grants the plant is now self financing from funds generated from the resale of processed material. The plant also collects used lead car batteries and printer cartridges which are also sold overseas for recycling.
 
 
By establishing the recycling plant the Rotary had three primary objectives, reduce the quantity of material going to the landfill, reduce littering around the island and provide employment where possible for under-privileged persons.
 
The plant has been a success but has not yet reached full capacity. At present only around half a dozen hotels are sending material for recycling. Mario admits that there are issues with transport but we must work with him to resolve and overcome them.
 
The AHTA is hereby urging all hotels to come on board and support this project. Please separate all aluminium cans and plastic water bottles from your day to day trash. Maybe periodically you can arrange for your trash collection company to make one run to the centre. If not contact the office or Mario Bento to make alternative arrangements.
 
 British Airways fares for WTM
British Airways is pleased to announce the relaunch of special travel rates for our tourism, travel and hotel partners in the Caribbean.

These special rates are only valid for British Airways trade and tourism partners who are registered members of the Antigua Hotels and Tourism Association, as well as Antigua Tourist Board and Minsitry of Tourism officials who are based in Antigua and attending the WTM trade show in the UK in November 2008.

These fares are valid for travel from Antigua to London, as well as other select Caribbean gateways. These special fares are available in the following cabins:

World Traveller - USD500
World Traveller Plus - USD700
Club World - USD1100
Club World - USD2000

The two Club World fares are intended to provide greater access as there will be very limited availability at the lower fare. Please note that taxes and applicable surcharges are additional.

These industry rates must be booked by e-mailing your details and travel dates to barbados.sales@ba.com. Payment by credit card will be due at the time of booking.

Please note that these fares are applicable on direct British Airways flights only and are subject to availability.
AHTA Donates Window to the Museum
 
The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda located in the old Court House on Long Street was originally built in 1750 and is in dire need of repairs. The old wooden windows are rotting away and would not protect the exhibits in the case of any severe weather.
The Museum has put out an appeal to the general public to help replace all the 54 windows,a project totalling EC$220.000. After discussion the Board of Directors has decided that the AHTA should donate the cost of one window, EC$4.250 towards the project. At the same time the Museum is being invited to become an honarary member of the AHTA.
At the present time the project is still short of around EC$30.000, so if any individual hotel would also like to the Museum please contact Agnes Meeker or the AHTA office for further details.
Caribbean Hotels Retreat
 
The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), in conjunction with the St. Kitts & Nevis Hotel & Tourism Association, will host the Caribbean Hotels Retreat “Serving the Needs of Small & Independent Hoteliers” at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & Royal Beach Casino in St. Kitts from Oct. 1-3, 2008. While the event’s primary audience is small hotels consisting of 75 rooms or less, the conference is open to all CHTA members.

The Caribbean Hotels Retreat is an informal gathering by design, created by small hoteliers for small and independent hoteliers, intended to foster the open exchange of ideas and experiences – and most importantly, to provide practical hands-on advice from industry experts that delegates can put into practice immediately.

In addition, allied members who specialize in serving smaller hospitality operations demonstrate their products and services at a tabletop trade exposition.

In 2007 there were 100 hotel delegates that attended the Small Hotels Retreat which took place in Barbados. Below are the Event Highlights and the hotels and countries that had participated.

Event Highlights
66 Hotel companies - 100 hotel delegates
25 Allied companies (Including exhibitors) – 38 delegates
8 Association Executives

For registration click here
Delivering World Class Service:
Function vs. Purpose
 
What is the difference between the doorman opening the hotel's door and the doorman providing a welcoming experience? Or what is the difference between the housekeeper changing the bed sheets and the housekeeper ensuring that the guest has a clean, comfortable bed to sleep in? Some people may say they are actually the same thing, but others would say that one drives the other. One is the function and the other is the purpose. It is one of the simplest, yet most powerful ways to explain service excellence and how to deliver exceptional service at the same time. Understanding the purpose affects "how" the function is performed. By Bryan K. Williams

more...

From www.ehotelier.com

 

 
Breakfast Meeting 
 
 
The next Breakfast Meeting for hoteliers with Minister Lovell will be held on Thursday August 21st at 8.30am in the Ballroom at Sandals Grande Antigua. 
 

 

Antigua Hotels & Tourist Association
PO Box 454, Island House, Newgate Street
St John's
Antigua
 E-mail: neil@antiguahotels.org
http://www.antiguahotels.org