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Archives for November 2020

Antigua and Barbuda Launches Ultimate “Your Space in the Sun” Sweepstakes

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The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is delivering joy to wanderlust travelers during the holiday season, by providing them with the chance to win the escape they deserve in Antigua and Barbuda for 2021.

For travelers looking forward to a bit more space, and a change of scenery in the new year, Antigua and Barbuda is your space in the sun. With 365 beaches, airy beach side resorts that welcome the Caribbean breeze, and lots of wide-open spaces, the twin-island paradise is perfect for distancing.

The ‘Your Space in the Sun’ Sweepstakes offers a prize of free airfare for two and four nights stay in an amazing Diamond suite at the all-inclusive, luxurious Royalton Resort in beautiful Antigua. The sweepstakes officially launched at the resort on November 29.  The exquisite resort reopened with a fanfare and Royalton safety-assured protocols in place the day of the sweepstakes launch, after closing in March when the coronavirus pandemic started. 

The online holiday sweepstakes is open to persons over 18, residing in the United States of America, The United Kingdom, Canada and the Caribbean. To enter go to visitantiguabarbuda.com. Only one entry is allowed. The sweepstakes will run until 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2020.  The winner will be chosen randomly.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and Royalton Antigua Resort and Spa will take potential travelers on a virtual journey through the fascinating destination and Royalton’s All-In luxury vacation experience, as a series of activities continue during the sweepstake launch week.  Activities include a twitter chat on December 1 focused on the destination experience and safety protocols. The following day on a virtual island tour, travelers explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Nelson’s Dockyard and make other notable stops before a check-in to the stunning Diamond suite at the Royalton Resort.  And finally, the cocktail happy hour party on December 4 at Royalton, will showcase a masterful mixologist creating delicious specialty cocktails featuring the English Harbour Rum.

The twitter chat takes place with @AntiguaBarbuda on Twitter, while all other activities will air live on Facebook with @AntiguaBarbudaTourism and on Zoom.   Register to join the zoom events: Live & Direct from Antigua & Barbuda – The Virtual Tour and The Virtual Cocktail Party by clicking the online link or emailing the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority at: [email protected]

For details of Antigua and Barbuda’s covid-19 health and safety protocols for the tourism sector, go to: visitantiguabarbuda.com. Over four thousand tourism stakeholders have been trained and certified in the destination’s covid-19 protocols, close to 450 certified accommodations are now on offer, and there are a range of certified restaurants and excursions open for business.

Visitors are welcomed to participate in Antigua and Barbuda’s 2021 events, with lots of great experiences that allow for physical distancing. These include the Jolly Harbour Valentine’s Regatta in February, AUA Rohrman Triathlon in March, the Antigua and Barbuda International Kite Festival and Antigua Sailing Week in April, and the Sports-fishing Tournament and Run in Paradise in May. For details of events taking place from January – July in Antigua and Barbuda go to: visitantiguabarbuda.com 

ABOUT THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

The Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority is a statutory body dedicated to realizing the tourism potential of Antigua & Barbuda by promoting the twin island state as a unique, quality tourist destination with the overall objective of increasing visitor arrivals thereby providing sustainable economic growth. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is headquartered in St. John’s Antigua, where regional marketing is directed.  The Authority has three offices overseas in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.

ABOUT ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Antigua (pronounced An-tee’ga) and Barbuda (Bar-byew’da) is located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. Voted the World Travel Awards 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Caribbean’s Most Romantic Destination, the twin-island paradise offers visitors two uniquely distinct experiences, ideal temperatures year-round, a rich history, vibrant culture, exhilarating excursions, award-winning resorts, mouth-watering cuisine and 365 stunning pink and white-sand beaches – one for every day of the year. The largest of the Leeward Islands, Antigua comprises 108-square miles with rich history and spectacular topography that provides a variety of popular sightseeing opportunities. Nelson’s Dockyard, the only remaining example of a Georgian fort a listed UNESCO World Heritage site, is perhaps the most renowned landmark. Antigua’s tourism events calendar includes the prestigious Antigua Sailing Week, Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, and the annual Antigua Carnival; known as the Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Festival. Barbuda, Antigua’s smaller sister island, is the ultimate celebrity hideaway. The island lies 27 miles north-east of Antigua and is just a 15-minute plane ride away. Barbuda is known for its untouched 17 mile stretch of pink sand beach and as the home of the largest Frigate Bird Sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere.  Find information on Antigua & Barbuda at: www.visitantiguabarbuda.com or follow on

Twitter: http://twitter.com/antiguabarbuda 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/antiguabarbuda

Instagram: www.instagram.com/AntiguaandBarbuda

More news about Antigua and Barbuda

Media Contact:
Maria Blackman
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority

T: 1 (268) 562 7600/464-7601
E: [email protected]

From the UAE to the world: Local flavours, culture and music proudly take flight on Emirates

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  • Locally sourced products provide a boost to more than 1,600 UAE based businesses
  • 36 channels on ice feature Emirati music, shows, podcasts and films promoting the UAE’s rich cultural tapestry

DUBAI, UAE, 30 November 2020: As customers take to the skies for the UAE National Day holidays, Emirates will be celebrating the occasion by serving local delicacies, proudly crafted in the UAE to help make travel a little sweeter. Customers traveling in all classes from 2 December will be able to savour chocolates from Dubai’s only bean-to-bar chocolate maker, Mirzam.

Partnering with a business like Mirzam allows the airline to offer locally-sourced sweet treats that present traditional Emirati flavours with a modern twist, all at 40,000 feet.

Customers travelling in Emirates First and Business Class will enjoy white chocolate Emirati aseeda caramels, inspired by the texture and flavours of the local dessert, as well as dark milk chocolate Emirati ragag truffles, echoing the qualities of the traditional crispy pancake. Economy Class passengers will be able to sample a taster box of bites consisting of single origin India dark chocolate, dark milk chocolate with sea salt, and aseeda caramelised white chocolate with cardamom.

Small and medium sized businesses are at the heart of the UAE economy, and are excellent innovators with strong knowledge of local tastes and trends. Over 1,600 small businesses and local suppliers have played an essential part in the airline’s onboard offering and across other parts of the business, providing a broad array of products and services that have defined the signature Emirates experience over the years.

Mirzam is one example of the many local suppliers Emirates does business with each year. The airline has also collaborated with home-grown brands like Forrey & Galland, who make handmade chocolate following French traditions and Coco Jalila, known for their classic European-style filled chocolates with an Arabic flair.

Emirates’ long track record of sourcing products and ingredients from the UAE has provided a local boost to small and medium sized businesses due in part to the airline’s sheer volume requirements. Locally-based UAE businesses have also benefitted from showcasing their products to a global travelling audience.

One such product is the signature Arabic coffee and dates provided by UAE based business Bateel.* Emirates has been serving Bateel dates and coffee to welcome First Class customers for over 15 years. Each year, close to 5 million dates are served onboard and in lounges across its network. **

Other local products served include Mai Dubai, which provides over 54,000 litres of water onboard on a daily basis.** Emirates also works with local businesses like Barakat, which produces and delivers more than 9,000 litres of various fresh juices daily.**

Tapping into innovative products from local businesses isn’t the only way Emirates helps to highlight the UAE’s rich offerings to the world. On ice, the airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment system, Emirates features over 36 Emirati channels and talents, ranging from Khaleeji music artists to world-renowned DJs, as well as local filmmakers. Emirates is currently screening “My Story”, the TV series based on the book of the same name by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In addition, eight Emirati movies like Fe Baytina Batal and Omniyat Omri are currently on ice.

Emirates has also collaborated with the UAE Environment Agency to raise awareness around key regional environmental issues. Since early October, ice has featured two documentaries- Back to the Wild and Zayed’s Antarctic Lights. The documentaries, inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed’s legacy of protecting biodiversity in the wild, cover topics including the reintroduction programme for an endangered species of the Oryx, Antarctica’s incredible biodiversity, and issues around climate change and single-use plastics.

Earlier this year, Emirates teamed up with the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC) and Al Oula Radio Network to include a host of cultural audio materials on ice to help immerse passengers in Emirati culture and promote local traditions, helping to further enhance cultural understanding.

Across its network, Emirates sources products and content for its award-winning onboard service, including crisps from Ireland, tea from Sri Lanka, olive oil from Italy, artisanal cheeses from Australia, and much more. Through these efforts, the airline brings the best of the world to its global customer base, and helps build lasting partnerships that support local communities.

*Dates and coffee have been recently reinstated with individual packaging.

**Figures stated represent pre-pandemic levels.