No.13 - September 15th, 2008

 

In this edition
Inaugural  flight from Miami
 
XL Leisure Group goes into administration
 
September Luncheon
 
Caribbean Hotels Retreat
 
Maryland and Philadelphia
CTO Fam Trip
 
Miss AHTA Pageant
 
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New Members September 2008
 
Mosaique Ltd (Tanya Edwards)
 
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On the Move
 
Niels Stuedemann is no longer General Manager at the Lighthouse Bay Resort in Barbuda.
 
 
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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 -  November 15th
Long Bay - May 6th - November 1st
Hermitage Bay - September 1st - October 6th
The Inn - May 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
 
1st Annual Francis Nunes Jr. Memorial Fishing Tournament and Seafood Festival 
Catamaran Marina, 
-27th September
 
Marriott St Kitts
- 1st - 3rd October
 
Monthly Members Luncheon
Carlisle Bay
- 16th October
 
Antigua Literary Festival
Jolly Beach Resort
- 7th-9th November
 
World Travel Market
                
 - 10th - 13th November
 
 

Multi Purpose Centre
- 29th November
 
Saint Lucia
- 18 - 20th January
 
Antigua Culinary Festival
- 27th - 29th March 2009
 
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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.

Inaugural flight from Miami

On Saturday 6th September American Airlines Boeing 737-800 N903AN pushed back from gate D46 at Miami International Airport exactly on time at 10.25am. Ten minutes later AA1907 departed from runway 08R for its 3 hour flight to Antigua.
 
 

 
Almost  ten years to the day American Airlines resumed direct flights from Miami to Antigua. Onboard the aircraft for the inaugural flight were Minister of Tourism the Hon. Harold Lovell, AHTA Chairman, Ted Isaac, AHTA Director Ian Fraser and General Manager Neil Forrester.
 

 
Until November 2nd this flight will operate every Saturday and Sunday at which stage the flight will become daily.

Upon arrival in Antigua the aircraft was greeted by traditional water cannon salute. On hand to welcome the passengers to Antigua were the Prime Minister Hon Baldwin Spencer, senior staff members of the Ministry of Tourism and members of the media.
 
There ensued a brief welcoming ceremony in the VIP Lounge where welcome addresses were made by the Minister of Tourism, The Charirman of the AHTA, the Prime Minister and Cathy-Ann edwards, Country Manager of American Airlines


 XL Leisure Group goes into administration
After only recently announcing that they were ceasing flights to the Caribbean, the XL Leisure Group went into administration on Thursday and ceased all flights grounding its 21 aircraft
 
Some 85.000 tourists were left stranded around the world and the CAA has been working to organize alternative flights to repatriate them. Under the ATOL protective gurantee most holidaymakers will be able to continue their vacations and travel on alternative airlines on more or less the same dates as planned..

September Luncheon
 

Last Thursday 11th September around 25 members of the AHTA gathered in the Vyvien's Restaurant at Blue Waters for lunch and to listen to a presentation by Mr Uton Bright of Royal Marine Insurance Group on a new insurance product called Storm Tracker

This policy provides insurance coverage for business losses occurring when a named hurricane comes within 50 miles of an insured location even if there is no physical damage to the insured property. The local agent for this product is Brysons Insurance and they will be able to provide any interested persons with additional information.

Caribbean Hotels Retreat
 
The 2008 Caribbean Hotels Retreat will be held in St. Kitts at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino on October 1-3.

The event is developed by small hoteliers for small hoteliers, focusing on marketing skills, technology, and human resource development. Seminars and round table discussions cover different aspects of those critical areas. In addition, allied members who specialize in serving smaller hospitality operations demonstrate their products and services at the trade show. The Retreat is an informal gathering by design, intended to foster the open exchange of ideas and experiences.

Click here to register
Philadelphia & Maryland
CTO Press Trip
 
From 18th to the 24th September a group of 24 travel agents from the Maryland and Philadelphia CTO chapters will be visiting Antigua. The group is flying down with American Airlines and is being hosted at The Verandah Resort. During their stay they will be visiting several other properties on the island and the local attractions.

 

            

 
Miss AHTA Pageant 
 
Unfortunately due to a lack of contestants we are going to have to postpone this event until a later date
 

 

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