No.14 - September 24th, 2008

 

In this edition
"This is My Day" to air on ABS
 
Antigua to launch advertising campaign on expedia.com
 
Stanford 20/20 for 20
 
US Travel agents make donations to local charities
 
News from the Italian Market
 
ABST 
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New Members September 2008
 
Mosaique Ltd (Tanya Edwards)
 
______________________
 
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%
August - 57.8%
 
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

Stanford 20/20 for 20
- 25th October - 1st November
 
Antigua Literary Festival
Jolly Beach Resort
- 7th-9th November
 
World Travel Market
                
 - 10th - 13th November
   
Saint Lucia
- 18 - 20th January
 
Antigua Culinary Festival
- 27th - 29th March 2009
 
 ________________________
 
 
 
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.

"This is my day" to air on ABS

For the last few months the AHTA has been working with ABS to produce a television series entitled "This is my day". Each programme traces the day of an hotel employee, the cameras follow the employee through all their daily tasks and challenges. The aim of the programme is to show to a wider public that there is great value and personal satisfaction from working in a hotel.

 
The first programme will air next Wednesday evening October 1st at 8.00pm and will follow the Asst Food and Beverage Manager at Sandals Grand Antigua, Sean Davis through his day. The series is scheduled to comprise of ten programmes that will run weekly and will cover different hotel positions and different properties. The proposed schedule is as follows:
 
Wednesday 1st Octàber 8.00pm
Sean Davis – Sandals Grand Antigua
Wednesday 8th October 8.00pm
Sylvia Henry – Hawksbill
Wednesday 15th October 8.00pm
Maurine Bowers – Hermitage Bay
Wednesday 22nd October 8.00pm
Carlos Harrigan – Curtain Bluff
Wednesday 29th October 8.00pm
Beverly King – Jolly Beach Resort & Spa
Wednesday 5th November 8.00pm
Dinah Bailey – Catamaran Hotel
Wednesday 12th November 8.00pm
Deonne Maxine – Carlisle Bay  
 Antigua to launch advertising campaign on expedia.com
The AHTA and the Ministry of Tourism are to embark on an aggressive on-line banner advertising campaign in the USA with expedia.com from October 1st. For just over two months banner adverts will be placed on key market pages to drive traffic to a specially created Antigua landing page and from there to the Antigua properties listed on expedia.com.

 
There are currently 23 of the island's properties listed on expedia.com. These properties are being encouraged to support the advertising campaign with attractive rates for the fall period.
 
Stanford 20/20 for 20
 
STANFORD SUPER SERIES 2008
Saturday October 25th: Stanford Superstars v. Trinidad & Tobago Sunday October 26th: England v. Middlesex
Monday October 27th: Trinidad & Tobago v. Middlesex
Tuesday October 28th: England v. Trinidad & Tobago
Thursday October 30th: Stanford Superstars v. Middlesex
Saturday November 1st - Stanford 20 20 for 20:
Stanford Superstars v. England
 
The AHTA has been able to obtain an allocation of tickets to package with hotel rooms for visitors coming to the island. A special page is being created on www.antiguahotels.org where interested hotels can advertise.
 
For more information contact the AHTA office.

 

US travel agents make donations to local charities.

 
The Verandah Resort and Spa was selected as the site for Annual Board Meetings of two Chapters of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). Last weekend, a contingent of 20 travel agents, who are also board members of the Maryland and Greater Philadelphia CTO chapters were hosted by the resort to facilitate discussions, conduct site inspections and to get involved in community work.

One of the main goals of the CTO is to highlight the critical role that Caribbean society plays in supporting the tourism industry. As a result, the CTO has developed many charitable outreach programs that support education, youth, family and community development. There are currently 28 active CTO Chapters in the United States and individual chapters select a Caribbean destination to host their Annual Meeting.

On Monday, Board members from Maryland and Greater Philadelphia, made charitable donations to representatives of five different charities that are associated with the development of Antigua and Barbuda’s youth. These charities are: The Boys’ Training School, The Adele School for Special Children, The Children’s Ward, The Sunshine Home for Girls and The Amazing Grace Foundation.

Representatives from the various charities accepted the donations at a ceremony that was hosted at the Verandah Resort and Spa. A list of items had been submitted to the Ministry of Tourism and throughout the year, these CTO chapters organized various fund raisers and membership drives within their communities to fulfill these requests. In addition to monetary contributions, the local charities received over 15 suitcases packed with school supplies, toiletries and toys from the CTO.

In accepting the donations on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism, US Director, Derede Samuel-Whitlock said, “We welcome these contributions from our travel partners in two major source markets in the United States. We salute their efforts for not only recommending and selling Antigua and Barbuda, but for supporting social programs for youth development in our community. The success of our tourism industry hinges on the level of service delivery, which is driven by the outlook, pride and the overall health and wellness of the community that supports the product.”

Samuel Whitlock further noted that the quantity and quality of the country’s tourism product has changed and that the Familiarization trip provided travel agents the opportunity to experience the new and improved product first hand. “With increased inventory, both from the perspective of additional seats as well as increased room stock, the product has also been greatly upgraded with the addition of new casinos, sightseeing and adventure tours, restaurants, heritage sites and other amenities.”

As Antigua and Barbuda prepares for the 2008/2009 Tourist season, The Ministry of Tourism in conjunction with the Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association (AHTA) has developed an intensive program of activities and creative initiatives for the remainder of 2008. There will be a greater focus on engaging, and motivating travel partners by providing greater opportunities to increase destination and product knowledge.
News from the Italian Market
 
The Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism in Italy reports a very successful summer season with Italian travelers.

Due to our concentrated promotional efforts, more Italians have traveled to the islands on holiday than in any previous summer, flying from Milan to Antigua with our airline partners Livingston, Condor and Virgin Atlantic.

Our summer charter season with flight service from Milan to Antigua on Livingston airlines concluded in the first week of September and will resume in December 2008.

In the meantime, the Italian office will continue to extensively promote Condor Airlines flights though Frankfurt, Germany and British Airways through UK.

In cooperation with our department, Virgin Atlantic will host several promotional events in Milan to promote its Milan-Antigua flights with connections through UK and the new regional marketing departments, recently opened in Milan. Events to be held with Virgin Atlantic will be attended by tour operators, journalists, travel agents and media. *Details will follow.

Having noted a great deal of success over the past three years with consumer and sports initiatives, the Italian office has begun the organization of various sports tournaments (such as golf, tennis, squash, and kite surfing) to be initiated in Italy and the Italian speaking Switzerland starting May 2009 and in collaboration with AHTA partners.

Various consumer events such as Caribbean evenings, aperitifs, etc. will be held between November and January to support the Winter season and our upcoming direct flight service.


 

Ente Nazionale per il Turismo di Antigua e Barbuda
Via Santa Maria Alla Porta, 9
20123 Milan, Italy
www.antigua-barbuda.it
infoantigua@antigua-barbuda.it 

 
 ABST to continue at 10.5%
for 2009
With the introduction of ABST in January 2007 the Government recognised the need for the hotel sector to benefit from a preferential treatment as regards the taxation of hotel accommodation. In the Antigua & Barbuda Sales Tax, Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendment Act 2006 the rate of taxation on hotel revenues was reduced to 10.5% for a period of two years with a provision for an extension for a further year.

Members of the AHTA recently met with the Hon Dr Errol Cort, Minister of Finance and the Director of ABST to lobby for the extension to be accorded until January 2010. After a fruitful meeting the Minister agreed to the AHTA's request. 

 

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