No.11/2009 - 27th July, 2009

 

In this edition
Opening of Carnival
 
World Travel Market 2009
 
 British Airways Fares for WTM
 
Affordable Caribbean Antigua
 
Carnival German Press Trip
 
Caribbean Marketplace
 
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New Members
  
- Columbian Emeralds
 
- Island Gems Antigua
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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% 
June -             57.3%  -  50.5%

2008
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 July 15th)
 
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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
     
25th July to 4th August
 
Magic Mango Culinary Competion
ABHTI - Saturday 8th August 11am
 
Christian Valley Mango Festival 2009 -
15th & 16th August
 
TOP RESA - Paris
22nd - 25th September
 
Small Hotels Retreat - Saint Thomas
30th September - 2nd October
 
World Travel Market - Excel, London
9th - 12th November
 
Marketplace 2010 - San Juan
10th - 12th 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.  
 
Opening of Carnival
 

On Saturday afternoon the AHTA joined the Opening of Carnival Parade for a t-shirt mas. Over 200 hotel employees, guests and friends took to the streets waering ntheir special shirts to celebrate the opening of Carnival 2009.

Seven hotels turned out to support the parade, these included Grand Pineapple, Hawksbill and Halcyon Cove by rex resorts, Hermitage Bay, BlueWaters, Jolly Beach Resort and Antigua Yacht Club Marina Resort.
 
As well as having hotel employees in the group several hotels gave their guests the opportunity to witness Carnival first hand and to judge from their reaction they loved it. The guests from halcyon and Hermitage Bay had a blast and we had to hold them back from performing their quickly learnt dance routines on the Carnival stage.
 
We would like to thank all the members who turned out to support us and especially TCM, Quin Farara and Bargain Centre for their support in providing refreshments for the troupe.

World Travel Market 2009
The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority UK will once again be exhibiting at World Travel Market at Excel in London from 9th – 12th November 2009. The stand size and structure will be the same as last year.

Charges for exhibiting partners on the Antigua and Barbuda WTM 2009 stand #CA2020 are:
First participant: £500.00 Each subsequent participant: £250.00 

Your contribution includes: Counter space on the Antigua and Barbuda stand WIFI Participation at any other function/s hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourist Office at WTM Participants may book a table on the stand for an additional cost of £500.00, this includes one table and a maximum of four chairs. Reserved meeting tables are for the exclusive use of payee and cannot be utilised by companies who did not book in advance.

Please note that participation fee is due by 16 October 2009. Kindly complete the registration form which is available from the AHTA and return it to Cherrie Osborne, Marketing and Administration Manager on fax: +44 207 031 8170 as soon as possible if you wish to participate on the stand.

Once you are registered the organisers will send the contact person a unique user name and password in order for you to access the website to manage your information.

If you are travelling from overseas, please note that the tourist office will be hosting their annual pre WTM appreciation party on Thursday 5 November 2009.  We look forward to seeing you at WTM 2009.

British Airways Fares for WTM
British Airways is pleased to announce special travel rates for tourism, travel and hotel partners wishing to travel to WTM. 

These fares are valid for travel from our Caribbean gateways to London.
These special fares are available in the following cabins:

World Traveller (economy) - USD500
World Traveller Plus (premium economy) - USD700
Club World (business class) - USD1155
Club World (business class) - USD2055

There is limited space at the lower Club World fare so book early to avoid
disappointment. Please note that taxes, fees and applicable surcharges are additional. These industry rates must be booked by e-mailing caribbean.sales@ba.com with your details and preferred travel dates. Payment by credit card is due on confirmation.

We are happy to extend these special rates to our tourism partners and look
forward to welcoming you on board.

Terms and Conditions:
1. These special rates are valid for tourism, travel and hotel partners who are registered to attend World Travel Market 2009.
2. Selling period – on or before October 20, 2009
3. Travel period – for travel commencing Nov 1, 2009/ all travel to be
completed by November 30, 2009.
4. Min stay 5 nights
5. Refund restrictions apply
6. Discount applies to direct British Airways flights only
7. Rates apply to round trip fares only.

      

   

Affordable Caribbean Antigua

Discover the Caribbean's best affordable places to stay, play, dine and shop in Caribbean Travel & Life's new TV and web series on the Travel Channel.

What can budget-conscious travelers do on the Caribbean island that has a beach for every day on the year? Anything they want, from staying at reasonably priced, all-inclusive beachfront resorts, to duty-free shopping along St. John's bustling Heritage Quay, to sampling local cusine.

To see Affordable Antigua and explore the affordable side of Antigua.
watch the Travel Channel on Sat., Aug. 1 & Sun., Aug. 2 at 8 a.m. EST.
Carnival German Press Trip
 
 
It’s yours, it’s mine! Carnival 2009. A group of four German journalists escorted by Dr Giersch from the German Tourism Office are arriving today to celebrate and observe one of the greatest summer Festivals, Antigua’s Carnival.

The group will be staying for a week while sharing accommodation between Jolly Beach Resort and Sandals. Representing some of the major magazines and newspapers are Carsten Heinke, Freelance for Mitteldeutsche Zeitung, Elke Gersmann, freelance for Deutscher Depeschen Dienst, Ludwing Niedermeier is the Chief Editor of Hardthohenmag and Regina Fischer- Cohen freelance for Reise & Preise.

On arrival, the journalists will be treated to a hosted dinner at Jolly Beach Resort with their duty manager. A day trip to Barbuda is planned the next day with a short visit to the Frigate Bird Sanctuary then lunch on board The Excellence, catamaran cruise. To get a taste of our Carnival flavor, the group will be entertained at LIAT Caribbean Melting Pot where a medley of soca artists will be performing. What is Carnival without the National Panorama? One of the highlights of the carnival activities showcasing locals steelbands from all sections of our country. The press will have the opportunity to witness a culture phenomenon as they see men and women, girls and boys playing on pans harmonizing the rhythms of the local Carnival tunes.

In addition to visiting the Carnival City, the group will be visiting several member properties for lunches, dinners and site inspections. A shopping trip to St Johns at the famous Heritage Quay and for that adrenaline rush a visit to the Canopy tour, Stingray City and the Subcat are a “must do” for our guests when in Antigua. And, to end their visit will be the J’ouvert Parade taking place in the streets of St John’s.
 
 
 
Caribbean Marketplace 2010:
Register By August 31, 2009 And Save
 

Taking place at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan from January 10th-12th, Caribbean Marketplace 2010 has been deemed absolutely critical due to its timing at the cusp of what many experts are speculating will be the beginning of the tourism industry’s recovery. Jaime López Díaz, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company – one of the event’s hosting sponsors – deemed it “the most important Caribbean Marketing conference at a moment of crucial significance for the region’s tourism industry and economy,” noting that Caribbean Marketplace 2010 will “dictate business across the region for the entire year and beyond.”

Registration for the three-day event is now open.  Click here for more details
 
Antigua Hotels & Tourist Association
PO Box 454, Island House, Newgate Street
St John's
Antigua
 E-mail: neil@antiguahotels.org
http://www.antiguahotels.org