No.03/2009 - 15th March, 2009

 

In this edition
Sir Howard Hulford
 
Promote your business during Sailing Week
 
Sailing Week Schools Art Competition
 
Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference
 
Sailing Week Spectator Boats
 
Sustainable Tourism is good for business 
 
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New Members  2009
 
- Wadadli Film Studios
 
- Indian Creek Executive Suites
 
- Pelican Isle Villas
_______________________
 
On the Move
 
Stefano Morandi is the new General Manager at Cocos
  
_________________________ 
 
Average Hotel occupancies 2009 & 2008
 
                         2009            2008
January -    62.4%  -     74.1%
February -   73.9% -     81.1%
 
2008
March - 72.7%
April - 72.4%
May - 63.7%
June - 57.3%
July - 58.2%
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 2008
click here.
(last update March 5th)
 
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 Upcoming Events
 
Antigua Culinary Festival
- 27th - 29th March 2009
 
Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC), Fairmont Bermuda
- 14th - 16th April 2009
 
Antigua Sailing Week
- 25th April to May 1st
 
Sweet Cry Antigua, Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre
- May 2nd & 3rd
 
SMART - Regional Tradeshow Sint Maarten
- 20th - 22nd May
 ________________________
 
 
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.  
 
Sir Howard Hulford 

 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sir Howard Hulford on Monday March 9th at the age of 86. Howard was the owner and founder of Curtain Bluff and will be missed by all that had the pleasure of meeting or working with him.
 
Howard loved planes and became a navy fighter pilot in World War II flying Mustangs over the Pacific. After the war he become an executive pilot for Texaco. In 1959 he overflew Curtain Bluff and decided that it would make a great site to build himself a vacation home. He built himself a villa and as he received his many friends he added to it until it eventually opened as the hotel in 1962.
 
For the past 47 years Howard has been active in the life of the hotel and the community. The success of the hotel can be attributed to the fact that Howard and his wife Chelle ran it as if it was their private home. He was very humble and always ready to personally welcome guests to the hotel..
 
The local community was always a great concern of Howard’s. He created the “Old Road Fund” and over the years has contributed more than $1 million to the medical and educational needs of the neighbouring village. The fund has provided 45 young persons with full University education and has sent 150 children to tennis camps in the United States.
 
Back in 1968 Howard came up with the idea of creating a regatta to extend the hotel season into June. So together with Peter Deeth and Ed Sherrin he was part of the organization of the first Antigua Sailing Week with 17 boats. Howard’s role was to organize the hotels and the parties. From these humble beginnings the regatta has become one of the most prestigious in the world today.
 
Howard was active member of the Hotel Association and was named Caribbean Hotelier of the Year in 1979.
 
Howard will be greatly missed, May he rest in eternal peace. His funeral will take place on March 24th.
 
It is requested that in lieu of sending flowers that donations be made in his name to the Old Road Fund. 
Promote your business
during Sailing week 
Sailing Week brings a large number of visitors to the island either to participate in the races or just to be part of the atmosphere surrounding the event and the parties. We would like to offer you the opportunity of showcasing your business and the products or services you offer by placing a banner advert on the Sailing Week website www.sailingweek.com . Over the next 8 weeks we can expect nearly 50.000 unique visitors to the site.
 
For US$250 you can place your name in full view of these 50.000 visitors. We can accept a 175 x 125 pixels jpeg or animated gif banner. To reserve your spot and places are limited please contract Thalia at the AHTA office.
Sailing Week Schools Art Competition 
 

                 
The Schools Art Competition was conceived in the 1960's by Desmond Nicholson as a way to increase local interest and participation in Antigua Sailing Week. In the first year, there were just a few entries, and it was won by Olive Weste of English Harbour. From that modest beginning, the Competition has grown to having over 250 entries from many different schools, and the quality of the artwork has increased dramatically. The competition is coordinated by Thalia David of AHTA with the assistance of Ethelyn Philip of Admirals' Inn and Lisa Nicholson.
 
The 2008 Antigua Sailing Week Schools’ Art Competition, which was held in partnership with Kentucky Fried Chicken, received approximately 250 entries from students across the island. Students were asked to capture a nautical character integrating the fun and excitement of Antigua Sailing Week with the satisfaction of KFC. The competition generated a great response from pupils, and the quality of entries made the judges' decision a difficult one.
 
In keeping with years of tradition, the winning picture in the senior division is displayed on a billboard at the entrance to English Harbour, home of Antigua Sailing Week. Jamie Gardner earned the privilege of having her painting serve as a welcoming gesture to anyone entering the area.
 
This year, the competition is being supported by the Antigua Sailing Week Committee. The ASW committee would like to take this time to thank the Judges who continuously commit their valuable time to making the Competition possible.
 
For more information and an entry form visit www.sailingweek.com
Caribbean Hotel & Tourism
Investment Conference
  
This year’s Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC) is probably the most important in its 12 year history, and while the organizers -The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) – are expecting fewer delegates than the 500+ that attended last year’s conference in Trinidad, it is anticipated that those that do attend will be the ‘serious players’ in the tourism industry.

The two day program has over fifteen sessions and workshops, chock-full of industry leading speakers and panelists drawn from the senior management of the following organizations (among others):

For the lodging industry:
Marriott International, Inc. Hilton Hotels Corp Choice Hotels International Carlson Hotels Worldwide Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Interval International Coco Reef Resorts American Resort Development Association
For the Governments of the Caribbean:
Director of Tourism, Visit Jamaica. Director of Tourism, Government of Bermuda. Minister of Tourism & Civil Aviation, St. Lucia
For the finance industry:
KPMG Corporate Finance PKF Consulting Greenberg Traurig, LLP Ernst & Young FirstCaribbean International Bank The Bank of Nova Scotiabank Capital Source Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC
Related Industry Organizations:
World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) International Air Transport Association (IATA) Smith Travel Research Royal Caribbean International

Of course Bermuda, in April, is an ideal location for the conference, and delegates are encouraged to pack their golf clubs and swimming costumes for some much needed R&R following this jam-packed program. The Fairmont Southampton is a 4-diamond resort with a five-diamond restaurant and has its own golf course, close to beautiful pink-sand beaches: www.fairmont.com/southampton . 
For more information about the event, click here.
 
Come experience the action of
Antigua Sailing Week 
 
The AHTA in conjunction with Wadadli Cats will be offering you and your guests the possibility of getting up close to the action on Sunday 26th April. Experience the thrill of the start as the yachts battle for the best position off the line. Then enjoy a leisurely cruise following the cruising fleet round to Fort James.
 
Register early as places are limited. The cost is EC$135.00 or US$50.00 which includes lunch and beverages and an ASW souvenir t-shirt.
 
The boats leave Falmouth Harbour at 8.15am and arrive at Fort James at 3pm in time for the traditional Beach Bash.
 
For reservations call Thalia on 462.0374 
 
 
 
 
Sustainable Tourism is
good for business
 
In this newsletter we will be giving you each week some simple tips that could make a big difference to your operation. 

2. Use energy efficient lamps

The lighting load in hotels that are mainly equipped with incandescent lamps can account for more than 25% of total electricity use. However energy-efficient alternatives are now available to substitute incandescent lamps in nearly all lighting applications.
 
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) for lighting switched on for longer periods of time and use higher wattage bulbs. Use fixtures equipped with T8 or T5 fluorescent tube lamps in all possible ares.
 
CFLs use 70% less energy and last ten times longer than incandescent bulbs. Fluorsecent tubes are among the most energy-effiecient lamps. They offer benefits even compared to CFLs including longer life, lower initial cost and greater efficiency. Both generate less heat, lowering air conditioning loads.
 
Although initially more expensive, fluorescent lamps have lower lifecycle costs compared in incandescent bulbs. For example replacing a 100W incandescent bulb with an equivalent 25W CFL saves approximately $60 over the 8000 hour life of the CFL.

 

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