October 17, 2023The twin island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is eagerly anticipating a vibrant hotels and tourism season ahead.
The island nation’s hotels and tourism association is taking a closer look at the landscape to give visitors an unforgettable experience.
The Antigua and Barbuda Hotels & Tourism Association (ABHTA) has made a preparation for the upcoming season.
The preparations include a comprehensive analysis, where the association sampled nine properties from the esteemed membership to forecast the outlook for the upcoming 2023/2024 winter season.
The ABHTA has prepared a graph which provides a visual representation of their findings, drawing comparisons to the exceptionally successful year of 2019.
The key observations of ABHTA’s findings were as follows:
- Antigua and Barbuda still have available rooms, including the soon-to-reopen 230-room Royalton Chic (formerly Halcyon) in Q2 2024, and plans to reintroduce additional rooms at Jolly Beach.
- The Villas/Guesthouse market boasts a substantial number of rooms, emphasizing the need for effective regulation, marketing support, and compliance.
- Success for 2023-2024 depends on competitive pricing, given rising operational costs and the importance of strong UK Market performance supported by airlines like BA Holidays and Virgin Holidays.
- Cost barriers in travel may deter last-minute bookings.
- The country is seeing an encouraging trend of earlier booking patterns, with March 2024 reservations already gaining momentum for most properties.
ABHTA outlined that it is committed to ensuring a thriving and rewarding experience for visitors and industry stakeholders alike in the upcoming winter season.Furthermore, the association said that they will be focusing on five key areas for the destination’s development, which are as follows:
- Sustainability
- Authentic local experiences
- Robust legislative and policy framework
- A highly skilled workforce
- Economic benefits for all Antiguans and Barbudans
Craig Marshall, Chairman of ABHTA, stressed the importance of enhancing airlift, especially from key markets like the UK, to ensure year-round success. “We’re gearing up for a promising winter 2023/2024 season,” he said.
Also, Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, revealed plans for increased service from the USA, Canada, and the Caribbean, with Silver Airways joining the network soon.
