Curtain Bluff Media Mentions

The accolades keep coming! In June Curtain Bluff was featured in Condé Nast Traveler (US edition). The flattering article described the resort as the perfect retreat to reconnect with family and friends and to take advantage of all the inclusive activities from sailing, snorkeling to tennis.

This month (September), Curtain Bluff was honored as one of 11 best hotels in the world (one of only 3 in the Caribbean) for all-inclusive vacations by Fodor's Travel.

Antigua and Barbuda launches innovative video campaign to engage North American Travel Trade Industry.

180,000 Travel Agents and Group Travel Planners will be exposed to Antigua and Barbuda as the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority launches an innovative all-video email campaign with Travelview’s HDVideoChannel.

The lively video campaign which begins this month, will run until March 2015, with twice monthly email blasts being circulated to virtually every seller in the US and Canadian markets.

The TravelView HD Campaign has a 93% cumulative open rate, and  high-conversion rate to destination and suppliers website. Trade partners are known to spend 3 – 5 minutes watching the videos, which can be conveniently done, from the comfort of their homes or within the office.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, is excited about this cost-effective and highly efficient means of interacting with thousands of members of the North American travel industry; showcasing the destination and it’s hotel product. 

Promoted in the email blasts are the accommodation offerings of: Curtain Bluff, Antigua Village, Admiral’s Inn, Carib House, Galley Bay, St. James’s Club, The Verandah, Tranquility Bay and Carlisle Bay. The short video clips are a mixture of educational and promotional.

The programme allows the hotels, to provide  information on their special offers and incentives, and importantly links to travel agent training websites, allowing opportunities for members of the trade and hotel sales and business development teams to strengthen business relationships.

The first Travelview e-blast can be viewed here. The website allows for easy measurability with capabilities to track and report on email performance.

This increase comes, following a meeting held with British Airways officials yesterday at the BA headquarters in England, but also on the back of the airlines growing confidence in the destination.

The additional flight will take airlift available on British Airways from 6 to 7 daily, and will allow the airline’s seats to the destination to grow by twenty percent, making way for increased UK tourism arrivals.

Currently, Antigua and Barbuda is trending up with the airline.

Full story here

Minister Michael meets with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays on first official visit to the UK

Antigua and Barbuda’s new Tourism Minister, the Honourable Asot Michael, met with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays Airline Executives on Tuesday, as part of his hectic meeting schedule during his first official visit to the United Kingdom since being elected.

Virgin Holidays, one of the largest volume operators in the UK, works simultaneously with their airline partner Virgin Atlantic. Antigua and Barbuda is considered a key strategic route for the airline and has been a major player in its Caribbean leisure business.

Minister Michael said: “That as a consequence of our on-going collaboration with Virgin we have been able to grow arrival figures by 10% from the UK this year.”

The Minister added that “The Tourism Ministry has agreed to explore the possibility of a closer and mutually profitable relationship with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays.”

“Virgin Atlantic's new aircraft is configured with more upper class seats, moving from a modest 14 to 33” “This significantly benefits the destination and sits well with Antigua's client base of a more affluent and discerning passenger”, said Minister Michael.
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Antigua and Barbuda’s only living National Hero Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards took centre stage last evening at Lords, the hollowed home of International cricket. The celebrity studded fund raising dinner was held in honour of Sir Vivian Richards by the Lord’s Taverners and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

The Lord’s Taverners is one of the UK’s leading youth sports and disability charities who currently donate over £3 million pounds per year to programmes that give young people particularly those with special needs the opportunity to engage in Cricket and other sports.

All funds raised from the dinner will be split between two charities, with the Lord’s Taverners receiving 75% and with 25% going to the St John’s Cathedral Antigua Restoration Project. Sir Viv graciously accepted a cheque for a minimum agreed donation of £25,000. This cause was chosen by Sir Vivian as one that is close to his heart. The funds raised will provide a substantial contribution toward the restoration of one of the nation’s most iconic and historic landmarks.

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After months of speculation, Tourism Minister Asot Michael has confirmed that the now defunct Hodges Bay Club is scheduled for a soft opening within a few weeks.

In an interview with OBSERVER media, Michael said that the resort, which shut down in 2012, will be holding a soft opening some time in October.

“The Hodges Bay Club, they’re planning to have the soft opening early next month, and to have the final grand opening – that’s an additional 75 villas – by February of next year.”

Full story on antiguaobserver.com