ST. JOHN’S, Antigua--Antigua and Barbuda tourism officials began ringing in the New Year early at V.C. Bird International Airport, as visitors arriving into Antigua and Barbuda on Old Year’s Eve, helped to push Antigua and Barbuda’s total stay-over arrivals in 2019 to the 300,000 mark.
It was a festive afternoon, as cultural masqueraders and dancers in colourful costumes began celebrating by partying on the band stand and greeting passengers in an extravagant cultural display complete with the sounds of melodious steelpan music.
Below in the airport’s VIP Lounge, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, Charles Fernandez, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Senator Mary-Clare Hurst, Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Lorraine Raeburn and other airport and tourism officials awaited the announcement that the record-breaking 300,000th visitor mark had been reached.
Laura and Ian Bowen became visitors 300,000 and 300,001 when they arrived on a Virgin Atlantic Flight into Antigua from the United Kingdom. As the couple stepped into the Arrivals Hall, tourism team members and the cultural performers welcomed them and cheered congratulations.
In the VIP reception held for their arrival, the couple was presented with a free seven-night luxury hotel stay sponsored by Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa along with return flights, a bouquet of tropical flowers and a gift basket filled with Antigua and Barbuda handmade treats and a bottle of the acclaimed 10-year-old English Harbour Rum provided by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.
“We have seen incredible year-over-year growth every month this year so far,” said Fernandez during the reception.
“Almost every key market is seeing incredible growth – in particular the US, the Caribbean and the UK where our lovely couple hails from. These markets have all contributed to the double-digit increase in stay-over air arrivals that we are celebrating this year,” Fernandez remarked.
The tourism minister noted that November figures showed the largest monthly double-digit increase ever, with November 2019 stay-over arrivals at 29,908, which is 31 per cent higher than in November 2018.
“At the end of November we had already exceeded our total arrivals reached in 2018. This represents a 14.9 per cent increase year to date, and we were then only 25,000 shy of reaching the 300,000-visitor-arrival milestone.”
In recognising the milestone-reaching visitors, Fernandez said: “This industry is about providing our visitors with a first class experience and so to our special guests of honour Mr. & Mrs. Bowen we say you could not have chosen a more romantic country for your holiday than Antigua and Barbuda and a more wonderful resort than the internationally recognised Sandals Resort and Spa, which is the leading ‘couples only’ resort on island.”
Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa General Manager Matthew Cornall, who was also present at the reception, said, “On behalf of our Chairman and Founder, Mr. Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, we remain committed to the continued promotion of Antigua as an ideal vacation destination and are happy to note that the island’s 300,000th stop-over visitor is among our valued returning guests. It is our pleasure to join with the local tourism authority to mark this incredible milestone and we look forward to greater achievements together, as we work to create new milestones for the destination.”
In 2015, the government of Antigua and Barbuda transformed the V.C. Bird International Airport, opening a modern terminal with increased capacity, faster passenger-processing times and enhanced facilities and features to meet their strategic growth plan for tourism. Recognised as a leading Caribbean airport, the award-winning V.C. Bird International Airport, offers each visitor a world-class experience from the moment they disembark the aircraft.
The tourism minister expressed thanks to those who work relentlessly and tirelessly to promote the destination, who share the story of why Antigua and Barbuda is the “must-visit” destination and who provide the perfect travel experience for the many visitors to Antigua and Barbuda. ~ Antigua News Room ~
