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Antigua and Barbuda receives over one million visitors for 2018

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Antigua and Barbuda welcomed over one million visitors to the destination in 2018, topping 2017 figures and leading Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Tourism the Honourable Charles Fernandez to call 2018, “A record-setting year for Antigua and Barbuda.”

This is following the Government of Antigua and Barbuda’s Budget Speech on Thursday 17 January, when Prime Minister, The Honourable Gaston Browne made the announcement of the “impressive” tourism arrivals.


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The destination attracted a total of 1,081,365 visitors in 2018. This is an increase in arrivals from 2017, when Antigua and Barbuda hit the one million visitor mark for the first time with, 1,059,924 visitors.

The most impressive growth was seen in stayover (air) arrivals, where the destination attracted over 20,000 more stayover visitors in 2018 than in 2017.  This brought the total number of stayover visitors who arrived via the V.C. Bird International Airport to 268,949. This represents an 8.75% increase in stayover arrivals for the year 2018.

The destination also received more cruise visitors, with cruise arrivals totaling 792,873 while arrivals by yacht totaled 19,543.

Minister Fernandez said, “We have had a very strong year of growth.  Very early in 2018, the teams were tasked with re-grouping and working more strategically to attract more stayover visitors to the destination.”

“Our teams were relentless and our tourism performance for 2018 has been exceptional.  So much so, that the 2018 stayover figures surpassed not only the 2017 figures but the 2016, 2015, and 2014 arrivals.”

The destination experienced month-on-month stayover growth for the majority of the year, with a strong finish in December 2018, when demand for the destination rose by 6% during that month compared to the previous December.

Overall stayover arrivals for the year, showed the strongest growth from the Canadian market with a 66% increase in arrivals.  The US Market where most of the destination’s visitors were derived saw an 8% growth while the UK Market, the second largest source market held its own; remaining flat mainly due to the uncertainties of Brexit that have suppressed outbound travel from the UK.  The Caribbean market also recorded an increase. 

CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority Colin C. James has said: “We are optimistic about another year of growth for 2019, with the destination expected to benefit further from upgrades to our tourism infrastructure, new room stock and airlift.”

James also noted, that the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is set to launch a global summer marketing campaign that will focus on creating demand for the destination during the traditional summer off-season, with value-added offers. This will boost visitor arrivals to the destination at a time when many hotels have excess capacity.

Antigua and Barbuda has seen the tangible results of growth in tourism with the country recording economic growth of 5.3% in 2018, making the destination the fastest growing in the entire CARICOM area.

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 us on Twitter. http://twitter.com/antiguabarbuda  Facebook www.facebook.com/antiguabarbuda; Instagram: www.instagram.com/AntiguaandBarbuda

For Antigua and Barbuda media queries, contact:

Maria Blackman

Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority

T: 1 268 464 7601 /1 268 562 7600

E: Maria.blackman@visitaandb.com

Explore untamed wilderness in Hokkaido with Oku Japan

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Oku Japan, the tour company specializing in soft adventure in rural Japan, is proud to announce its first tour visiting Hokkaido, exploring the vast wilderness of the Japan’s northernmost island and featuring destinations not found on other itineraries. On this new tour, Oku Japan invites guests to see a Hokkaido unreachable for most and truly off-the-beaten-track.

On this 9-day small group guided adventure, guests travel from Kushiro on Hokkaido’s eastern Pacific coast to the Shiretoko Peninsula stretching out into the Sea of Okhotsk. Throughout the tour they will see untouched nature, visit UNESCO wetland nature reserves, experience spectacular landscapes formed by volcanoes, and enjoy flora and fauna special to Hokkaido. This tour features relaxing Onsen hot springs after each day’s walk and wonderful regional cuisine known to be some of the freshest in Japan, along with the opportunity to learn the history of Hokkaido’s indigenous peoples, the Ainu.

Sustainability is core to Oku Japan’s beliefs, and this tour aligns with the company’s ongoing efforts to encourage visitation to more remote and rural areas that remain unknown on the international stage, battling against overtourism and supporting locally-owned businesses.

Learn more about the Wild Lands of Eastern Hokkaido here: https://www.okujapan.com/trips/wild-lands-of-eastern-hokkaido-140

News: Chinese buyers flock to Caribbean Travel Marketplace

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For the first time in Caribbean Travel Marketplace history, the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association will host a large contingent of Chinese travel buyers.

Twenty companies will join more than 1,000 delegates registered for what promises to be a dynamic edition of the event slated for this month in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Sharing the podium with Jamaican minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett at a news conference in Kingston, Matt Cooper, chief marketing officer for CHTA, announced close to 60 new buyer companies are confirmed for the top travel event. 

Delegates are expected from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, India, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

These will join about 80 returning buyer companies.

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The 37th annual Caribbean Travel Marketplace, the Caribbean’s largest tourism marketing event, will be held in Montego Bay, Jamaica from January 29th-31st.

“The interest in Jamaica and the Caribbean is reflected in the number of buyers who are attending Marketplace from around the world,” reported Cooper.

He believes this expanded interest is not accidental.

“We believe in large part the enthusiasm is driven by the outstanding and tireless work of minister Bartlett, his tourism team, the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association, and the CHTA team along with ongoing global outreach,” he added.

Over 1,000 individuals have preregistered for Caribbean Travel Marketplace, including about 270 delegates from 135 buyer companies in 19 countries.

Approximately 500 delegates from 200 supplier companies are preregistered from 26 countries, while almost 50 media/marketing companies represented by about 125 delegates have confirmed for the marquee travel and tourism event.

With the surge in new buyers in recent weeks, particularly from China and India, CHTA expects to see registrations continue to grow as more Caribbean hoteliers recognise the added opportunity at this year’s Marketplace.

Source: Breaking Travel News

News: Boschulte on track to become US Virgin Islands tourism commissioner

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Joe Boschulte, a United States Virgin Islands businessperson and tourism specialist, has been nominated as commissioner for the department of tourism.

Virgin Islands governor Albert Bryan appointed Boschulte to lead the territory’s major economic driver.

Boschulte brings to the tourism department vast experience in business and in government as well as a track record of improving organisational performance and growth.

He formerly served as president and chief executive of the West Indian Company, where he led the completion of major capital projects.

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“I look forward to building on the important work I have been engaged with across the cruise sector in the Virgin Islands,” said Boschulte.

He added he anticipated providing strong leadership to a team of tourism professionals charged with promoting the destination and ensuring the territory delivers on its brand promise.

Governor Bryan highlighted Boschulte’s deep knowledge of the cruise industry and broad understanding of the Virgin Islands economy, which he said will help to consolidate the territory’s messaging in the marketplace.

“We look forward to great things from Boschulte and we are glad that he is offering his public service to the department of tourism.”

The commissioner designee will appear before the Virgin Islands legislature in the coming weeks for confirmation hearings.

Source: Breaking Travel News

News: Routes Americas 2020 headed to Indianapolis, Indiana

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Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana, will host the Routes Americas 2020 air service development conference.

Held in a different location each year and bringing together airlines, airports and tourism authorities, Routes Americas is the event dedicated to air service development in the Americas.

Following a highly competitive bidding process, Indianapolis came out as the winner after the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the state of Indiana’s lead economic development organisation, came together with the Indianapolis Airport Authority and Visit Indy, the city’s tourist board, in order to propose hosting the event.

Mario Rodriguez, executive director at the Indianapolis Airport Authority, commented: “Much of Indiana’s recent success can be attributed to the strength of the local Indianapolis economy as well as the local and state efforts to increase the global profile of Indiana.

“To host such a prestigious gathering of aviation decision makers, such as Routes Americas convenes, not only fits within the airport’s strategy to elevate awareness of central Indiana but pays tribute to the growing middle America by providing unparalleled exposure of Indianapolis and Indiana to industry influencers at large.”

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In 2018, Indianapolis International Airport served a record-breaking nearly nine million passengers, currently serves 50 non-stop destinations, marking the most connectivity offered in Indiana’s history. 

Steven Small, brand director of Routes, said: “Indianapolis has a reputation for hosting great events, so we are very excited to be taking the route development community there to experience its renowned hospitality. 

“It’s an exciting time for our hosts and we are confident that hosting Routes Americas 2020 will help them to achieve their ambitions. ”

Source: Breaking Travel News