Antigua and Barbuda Tourism
Officials are relentlessly pursuing cruise business for the destination as they
negotiate for more cruise calls, at Seatrade Europe in Barcelona Spain. The
annual event held from September 15th – 18th is the
largest gathering of Cruise Tourism Officials in Europe.
Antigua and
Barbuda collaborated with 15 regional destinations for the show, with the
country’s two-member delegation, Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority CEO,
Colin C. James, and Nathan Dundas President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cruise
Association working from the “Caribbean Village” to ensure cost effective
access to the European cruise market. They were joined by representatives of
Sea Escape Tours, a new company, offering a unique undersea viewing experience
for the upcoming season.
The senior
tourism officials are reporting, after a packed schedule of meetings with
European cruise executives, that, Antigua and Barbuda is forecasted to have a
bumper cruise season for 2014/15 with an estimated arrival of over 700,000
cruise passengers which represents a 15% increase in passenger arrivals from
297.
Coming out of
meetings with Nicoletta Puppo Head of Port Operations for major Italian Cruise
line Costa Cruises, the destination can confirm, an increase to 45 calls for
the upcoming season from 4 ships. This is a doubling of our ship calls from
Costa, which represents the largest number of passengers to visit Antigua and
Barbuda.
Costa Cruise
executives have said that, Antigua and Barbuda continues to perform well and
delivers excellent service to its passengers. The provision of Italian German
and French language tour guides was particularly noted, as “very important” for
the European Cruise Lines.
MSC Cruise
lines, the other major Italian cruise line has also reported an increase in
ship calls to 18 for the upcoming season up from the 16 calls for last season.
The cruise lines
with smaller ships that cater to a more up-market clientele have also observed
an increase in demand for Antigua and Barbuda, with a resultant increase in
their ship calls.
In discussions
with Sander Groothuis of Windstar Cruises, 7 new calls were confirmed in 2015
for Barbuda each bringing a total of 300 guests. The smaller Windstar ships
which berth in Falmouth also confirmed that their Sunday calls to the
destination will have a midnight departure to allow their guests to experience
the Shirley heights sunset party. Windstar Cruises’ high-end guests continue to
give the National Parks the thumbs up with lots to see and do.
The Tourism
Authority CEO, Colin James commented that “The growth we are seeing is very encouraging, but we cannot be
complacent as Antigua and Barbuda and the rest of the Caribbean faces increased
competition from other global cruising regions. The Cruise lines will seek to
deploy their vessels wherever they can make the best return on their
investments. We are now for the first
time seeing Cruise vessels being deployed in the winter in the Mediterranean,
which is in direct competition to our business. We must now redouble our
efforts to renew and grow our position as a marquis destination in the World’s
#1 Cruise Region.”
Nathan Dundas
Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Cruise Association said “our main objective
at Seatrade Med was to meet specifically with all our European partners with
the primary objective of securing more calls, and we have achieved that
objective.
We are
particularly pleased that public private sector partnership with the incentive
to allow the smaller cruise ships to have a second day in Barbuda are now
beginning to pay off with a forecast of 10 calls to the sister island for the
upcoming season. This is renewed confidence in our product and the service that
we offer to our cruise line partners,” added Dundas.
Negotiations
with V Ships Leisure - Allesandro Pino, Planning and Operations Manager
and Anne Saurat from Club Med were particularly successful, with the most calls
ever into the destination scheduled for the season.
Ms. Saurat
commented that she was delighted that the previous negotiations and planning to
bring business to Barbuda is now a reality. Club Med confirmed 3 calls
dedicated to Barbuda this season each bringing 300 passengers.
Javier Marin Martinon Corporate Strategy and
itinerary Planning Manager for the Pullmantur Group which caters to the high
end French market confirmed that they are now scheduled to return in 2015/16,
with possibility of a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 18 calls to the
destination.
While, at the
show, the Antigua and Barbuda team also updated cruise executives, and industry
media to include, Sea trade Cruise Review, of the planned upgrades to the St
John’s Harbour, and surrounding environs.
The upgrades will ensure that the destination can not only handle the
larger vessels, but can provide all the facilities to create a first-class
visitor arrival and departure experience for our guests.
Seatrade Europe
2014 attracted over 250 exhibitors from some 50 countries with the who’s who of
the industry in attendance. The event presented Antigua and Barbuda with a not
to be missed opportunity to meet its many valued cruise clients and secure more
business for the destination.
-Ends-
Photo Credits:
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority
For further information contact:
Charmaine Spencer
Marketing Manager, Antigua &
Barbuda Tourism Authority
Tel: 1 268 562 7600
Fax: 1 268 562 7602
ABOUT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Antigua (pronounced An-tee'ga)
and Barbuda (Bar-byew’ da) is located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. The
largest of the Leeward Islands, Antigua & Barbuda comprises 108-square
miles. The 365 white and pink sand beaches, one for every day of the year, are
just the beginning of the treasures that await visitors. Antigua’s rich
history and spectacular topography provide a variety of popular sightseeing
opportunities. Nelson’s Dockyard, the only remaining example of a Georgian fort
commissioned by the British in 1755, is perhaps the most renowned landmark.
Betty’s Hope, built in 1674, is the site of one of the first full-scale sugar
plantations on Antigua, and offers a chance to step back into time by visiting
the restored mills. Another unique attraction is Devil’s Bridge, located at the
eastern tip of the island in Indian Town National Park, where Atlantic breakers
have carved out a natural limestone arch. Antigua boasts a varied tourism
calendar including events such as the World Class Antigua Sailing Week, Classic
Yacht Regatta, Antigua Sports Fishing and also the annual Carnival; known as
the Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Festival. Island accommodation ranges from
luxury resorts and all-inclusive hotels to smaller more intimate boutique
guesthouses and cottages. For information about Antigua & Barbuda visit www.visitantiguabarbuda.com
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