No.09/2009 - 29th June, 2009

 

In this edition
Annual General Meeting
  
Small Hotels Retreat
 
Birding Fam Trip
 
Antigua's Sizzling Summer Specials
 
Stanley's Estate Agents
 
American Airlines Summer Schedule
 
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New Members
  
- Columbian Emeralds
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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 -            60.4% -    72.4%
May -              54.7% -   63.7% 
 
2008
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 2009
click here.
(last update June 23rd)
 
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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
    
FTO/MOT Transportation Seminar
23rd July
 
FTO/MOT Safety and Security Seminar
24th July
 
26th July to 4th August
 
Christian Valley Mango Festival 2009 -
15th & 16th August
 
TOP RESA - Paris
22nd - 25th September
 
Small Hotels Retreat - Saint Thomas
30th September - 2nd October
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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.  
 
Annual General Meeting
Last Thursday the Annual General Meeting of the A.H.T.A. was held at Sandals Grand Antigua. The meeting was well attended and the members were presented with the financial statements of the Association and a report of activities by the General Manager Neil Forrester.
 
There followed the election of the new Board of Directors that will drive the Association forward for the next two years. 
Chairman - Ian Fraser, Cocobay & Coconut Beach Club
Ist Vice Chairman - Alex deBrito, Elite Island Resorts
2nd Vice Chairman - Alistair Forrest, Blue Waters
Hotel Directors - Feona Bailey, Catamaran Hotel
   - Andrew Hedley, Carlisle Bay
    - Ted Isaac, Jolly Beach Resort
              - Tony Johnson, Siboney Beach Club
            - Paolo Rovoletto, Grand Pineapple
  - Rob Sherman, Curtain Bluff
Associate Directors - Gaye Hechme, La Perla
                          -  Gregory Shillingford, KFC
                                   - Alison Sly-Adams, AntiguaNice
Airlines Director - Cathhy Ann Edwards, American Airlines
Annual Hotels Retreat for Small, Independent Hoteliers

The Small Hotels Retreat, "Serving the Needs of Small & Independent Hoteliers," will take place on Sept. 30 - Oct. 2, 2009 at the Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and is hosted by The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), in conjunction with the USVI Hotel and Tourism Association.

The event's primary audience is small hotels consisting of 75 rooms or less however, the conference is open to all CHTA members. The conference has been designed by small hoteliers for small and independent hoteliers. Attendees of the event will take away information from one another such as ideas, personal advice and most importantly hands-on experience from established experts within the industry. The retreat will have the same format as last year with presentations during the morning and "round-table" discussions in the afternoon that focus on developing marketing skills, technology and human resources. Both will cover a variety of aspects in these critical areas. 

The conference includes a trade show where exhibitors who specialize in serving the smaller hospitality area have the opportunity to promote their products and services to hoteliers. Rates for a tabletop display are US$750 plus US$150 per exhibitor delegate registration. Breakfast and lunch will be provided both days in the exhibit area for networking opportunities with exhibitors.

Last year 18 countries were represented at the retreat with approximately 84 hotel delegates.

"The point of the Small Hotels Retreat is to gather hoteliers and offer one another advice and proactive steps to increase consumer awareness of the privately-owned boutique hotels and resorts throughout the Caribbean. We also use this opportunity to discuss the challenges facing all hotels and seek strategies to promote a successful year," noted Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, president of CHTA.

CHTA is offering an early bird registration fee of US$150 for hotelier delegates and US$275 for non-hoteliers who pay by Sept. 1, 2009. Registration increases to US$200 for hoteliers and US$325 non-hoteliers after Sept. 1, 2009. A special group rate of US$135 per night (single or double occupancy) has been set at the Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort. Reservations can be made online via the Small Hotels Retreat section of the CHTA website or by contacting Patricia Telemaque at the hotel 340-715-6115 ext. 6203. Taxes and surcharges are not included in the group rate. The group rate must be booked by Sept. 4, 2009. .
Birding Fam Trip

A new FAM trip is on the horizon, and it is the initiative of Virgin Atlantic Airways and the UK Office. For the first time, the MOT is hosting a Birding FAM with six tour operators and a journalist who cater to the needs of Bird watchers.

Bird watching is quite a popular hobby in the UK and bird watchers have extended their hobby beyond the borders of England by travelling around the world to exotic countries to see other unique species of the bird family. Due to this activity, there has been an emergence of magazines, periodicals, blogs and clubs targeting bird watchers. The group of seven will be arriving on Wednesday this week and will be staying at the Siboney Hotel for five days. The tour operators are Roger Lawrence of Ornitholidays, Joanne Finn of Birdwatching Breaks, June Taylor of Avian Adventures, Stephen Ashby of Birdfinders, Kylie Jenkins of Saltmarsh Partnership and Dr Michael Weedon is a writer for Birdwatching Magazine.

On Thursday 2nd July, ardent bird lover Mr Tony Johnson will host the group for breakfast at the Coconut Grove Restaurant followed by a cruise on the Catamaran to Bird Island to meet an Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) representative. EAG will also give the group a tour of Wallings Dam and a day trip to Barbuda’s Frigate Bird Sanctuary will culminate the week activities. In addition, the tour operators will be visiting several properties for site inspections, lunches and dinners and many thanks go to these members for assisting and making this event possible.

      

   

Antigua's Sizzling Summer Specials

  

The AHTA recently created a page on www.antiguahotels.org for your summer specials. In oder to drive business to this page we have recently placed banner adverts on the following websites:
 
Others will follow in the coming month. We do hope that you get some summer business from these promotions.
Stanley's Estate Agents
 
 

Our latest member is Stanley’s Estate Agents, Established February 2009 Stanley's staff of real estate professionals currently includes Geoffrey Pidduck, Brady Stanley and Emma Downey who will be pleased to have you visit them at their new offices on Dockyard Drive, English Harbour (pictured above).

Stanley's Estate Agents specialize in waterfront, beachfront and ocean view properties but also represent commercial and business opportunities in Antigua and Barbuda. 

For more information visit their website at: www.stanleysestates.com

 
 
 
American Airlines Schedule
 July - September
 
July 1st - August 24th

American Airlines - daily
Miami - Antigua - Miami   AA1907 arr 2.05pm  AA1906 dep 3.15pm

American Eagle - Daily
San Juan - Antigua - San Juan AE5052 arr 8.30pm  AE5053 dep 7.15am
 
August 25th - 30th September

American Airlines - Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 
Miami - Antigua - Miami   AA1907 arr 1.55pm  AA1906 dep 3.00pm

American Eagle - Daily
San Juan - Antigua - San Juan AE5052 arr 8.30pm  AE5053 dep 7.15am
For more information
Antigua Hotels & Tourist Association
PO Box 454, Island House, Newgate Street
St John's
Antigua
E-mail: neil@antiguahotels.org
http://www.antiguahotels.org