Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine July 2018 | Page 32

Tell us about Barbuda, post-hurricane.
Has the rebuilding started? What are
your country’s plans with regard to
Barbuda’s future within the tourism
picture?
Recovery efforts have been steadily
progressing. We have seen the restoration of
utilities, of hundreds of homes and a return
of a third of the 1800 residents to the island
since it was totally evacuated immediately
after Hurricane Irma. Tourism Sector has also
demonstrated resilience. The beaches are still
in fine fettle, the frigate birds are returning
to the sanctuary, and now tour operators
have resumed day tours to Barbuda via boat
and helicopter. We are even more pleased to
announce that the Barbuda Belle property will
open its doors in November of this year. The
Government’s intention is to rebuild a better
Barbuda, that is fully reliant on renewable
energy sources and transform the island into a
totally green island.
What are your short-term goals for the
Antigua & Barbuda tourism sector?
Antigua and Barbuda eyes record-setting
growth in tourist arrivals, as the country
welcomes major developments within the
Cruise and Hotel sectors. In fact, for 2021,
the destination is poised to step into a new
statistical territory with an anticipated 300,000
stayover visitors, and 1,000,000 cruise ships
passengers by the end of that year. The
projection comes on the heels of announced
developments across the 2 sectors, which will
seek to enhance our product offering.
Are there any new resort developments
on the horizon for Antigua?
Our Hotel Sector is set to benefit from an
onslaught of hotel projects to come on stream
in a short order. From the highly acclaimed and
ultra-luxurious brands like; the Waldorf Astoria,
Rosewood Resorts at Halfmoon Bay, Paradise
Found – Barbuda, to the very familiar names
like Marriott Hotels, and Best Western Premiere.
The completion of the two Royalton properties
at Deep Bay will be a game changer. This brand
comes under the development of Canadian
Travel conglomerate giant Sunwing which
has partnerships with both Sunwing and TUI
Airlines. We can expect an increase in airlift from
this venture, as the travel group will commit
to filling their properties. The aforementioned
properties will collectively double the room
stock on the market in the next three to four
years.
What would you say are the challenges
your country faces, if any, to its
tourism growth?
The impact of climate change is a real challenge
for the entire region. The Caribbean was
presented with significant setbacks in 2017, and
our country was no exception. Hurricanes Irma
and Maria severely impacted the Caribbean’s
Tourism Industry in ways like never before. After
Barbuda was directly impacted by Hurricane
Irma, the perpetual misconception that both
islands were destroyed created uncertainties in
the market, and this led to many cancelled trips.
As a new hurricane season looms, travelers
are giving a cautious eye on the season with
hesitation to travel the Eastern Caribbean for
the month of September. We have redoubled
our efforts to market the islands even more to
encourage visitors during this time of the year.
Do you have a tourism investment
strategy that you can share with us?
The aim is to attract mid to upper end of the
resort market with signature brands that
will assist in marketing the island and help
us to attract additional airlift to support the
industry.
What are some of the special events
and festivals held throughout the year
that you will like to highlight and by
so doing encourage our readers to
travel to the islands to experience?
Our robust events calendar ensures that
visitors will find something fun to enjoy at
any giving period of the year. An intense
sailing season kicks off the year with series of
regattas. From the Super Yacht Challenge, and
RORC Caribbean 600, to the Caribbean’s oldest
most prestigious regatta – Antigua Sailing
Week – which attracts hundreds of global
sailors who compete in a bid to be crowned
the ‘King of the Seas.’ This is followed up by
‘the Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Festival’
– Antigua Carnival, which is a celebration of
emancipation from slavery. There are also
other notable cultural events such as the
Mango and Pineapple Festival, Annual Seafood
Festival and Independence Day Food Fair, and
Sport Fishing Tournament.
What message do you have for people
considering Antigua & Barbuda as
their next vacation destination?
If you’re looking for the perfect Caribbean
getaway, that you can get to same-day from
Europe and North America; where you can
enjoy spectacular beaches, great cuisine and
fun-packed adventures, with some of the
most hospitable and charming people on the
planet, then your next vacation should be in
Antigua and Barbuda.