41-45_ttg_lux_caribbean update 27/2/09 14:04 Page 42
EXPERT EYE
“Like everywhere, the
Caribbean is having to
work harder for every
booking. Our clients are
more value conscious
than price sensitive and
this still holds true, but this year it is a
combination of both. We’ve promotional offers
for virtually all our hotels plus some exceptional
air fares. We’ve seen a noticeable upswing in
demand for the elegant, high-end all-inclusive
hotels like East Winds St Lucia, Spice Island
Grenada and Curtain Bluff Antigua.
“With most bookings coming in six weeks or
less before departure, it’s too early to judge the
period May onwards but we’re optimistic. New
properties that look promising include Cap
Maison in St Lucia, which I recently visited and
was very impressed by. It’s elegant and romantic
Analysis:
and suits our client profile very well. I also like
BA’S BOOST TO ST KITTS
the quality of the Landings.”
by Martin Ferguson
David Pointer, Caribbean product manager,
Harlequin Holidays
The arrival of British Airways’ weekly scheduled Marty Lowell, owner of Ottley’s Plantation Inn
flight to St Kitts in January highlighted the (above), has lived on the island for 20 years. “Luxury
importance of UK airlines to Caribbean economies. tourism has grown steadily during my tenure,” he said.
The island’s politicians believe the service, which “When XL went bust we feared the worst, but the BA “Barbados is a strong
also stops in Antigua, will be crucial in helping the flight means it will only be a blip on our history.”
brand in the UK, which is a
region recover from the loss of XL’s charter flights BA sales boss Richard Tams says St Kitts and
tremendous asset in
when the operator collapsed last year. Nevis fits the airline’s premium brand, and predicts
Dr Denzil Douglas, prime minister of St Kitts and the route will grow in significance. “We identified St
today’s market – people
Nevis, said the flights, plus bookings through UK Kitts as a potentially important route long before XL
are looking to travel to
tour operator partners, are vital. “The withdrawal of went out of business,” he said. “This is a long-term destinations they feel
XL flights was terrible news for Kittitians. The arrival project and BA will remain committed to the island.”
familiar with and confident about.
of BA means so much to the thousands of people Flor van der Vaart, general manager at the
“To celebrate 2009 as the Barbados Year of
employed by the tourism sector,” he said. Marriot St Kitts, says that recent occupancy levels
Tourism minister Ricky Skerritt applauded BA’s had fallen, but the BA flight has given people hope.
the Gourmet, we’ve launched the Barbados
decision to support the Caribbean while others have The Marriot has helped put St Kitts on the five-star
Gourmet Card, which offers visitors a 25%
been reducing capacity. “The UK market has been tourist map. The BA service and the St Christopher’s saving on food at top restaurants. The Barbados
stable but now has the opportunity for growth. It will project on the southern peninsula – due to open in
VIP Card gives visitors two-for-one offers on our
take on extra significance as we prepare for a drop in 2010 with a 125-room Mandarin Oriental resort
best attractions. For the third year running we
US visitors due to their economic plight.” – will ensure it remains there.
have the Barbados Sports Camp, with world-
class sports stars such as Ray Clemence,
Desmond Haynes and Mark Bright coaching
children free of charge in football, cricket and
year ago in St Lucia, is on schedule to on the way, but the question is, will the netball throughout August.
complete its third phase this autumn. Caribbean be able to fill these extra beds? “Luxury developments include the new Four
Significant refurbs elsewhere have For the UK market at least, 2009 started Seasons, opening in 2011. Our strategy is to
included Jumby Bay in Antigua, which impressively, with most operators ensure Barbados emerges in an even stronger
reopens this summer after a year-long surprised by their own success. position when the world economy improves.”
$26 million upgrade. Cotton Bay Village Kuoni’s Caribbean product manager, Petra Roach, vice-president marketing and
changed hands and upped its game last Karen Walpole, says sales in January were sales Europe, Barbados Tourism Authority
year to become St Lucia’s only member of 20% up year on year.
Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Caribtours too reports a strong month.
The Crane in Barbados launched its “I went into January without great hopes, “Royal Plantation Island in
Crane Village, with shopping centre, but how wrong I was,” says managing the Bahamas is very
theatre and new restaurants, at the start of director Paul Cleary. “We were 17% up on exciting at the moment:
the year. Sandy Lane in Barbados and Cap last January – which had been our best with next-generation
Juluca in Anguilla have also just emerged January ever.” He had to bring in extra staff technology, we hope the
from major renovation. this year to cope with the level of agent island will become able to
enquiries. generate 70% of its own energy. We plan to add
Mixed messages The enquiries could have been a flurry additional villas and spa facilities, as well as a
New openings still to come this year of last-minute demand – a symptom across Barefoot by the Sea casual dining restaurant.
include Banyan Tree Mayakoba, which the board in travel. Late booking has been a “A new Royal Plantation property at Dragon
opens in March on the Riviera Maya in marked trend, with clients leaving it until Bay in Jamaica, on the beautiful beach where
Mexico, and the first phase of Viceroy January to book what they would Cocktail was filmed, is in early planning stages.
Anguilla (pictured p41) opens this normally have booked in the previous “We’ll be working closer than ever with agents
summer. Some Ritz-Carlton projects October or November. this year to help them sell Royal Plantation,
remain very active, with construction So for some operators, a strong start to offering great incentives and launching a new
starting soon on Dorado Beach in Puerto this year may only just balance out a weak online training programme later in the year.
Rico, for example. Jamaica gains two high- end to 2008. “It’s been a surprisingly positive start to 2009
end all-inclusive Secrets properties this Forward bookings for the coming in terms of sales. But it is a worrying time for
year, the first on summer and winter seasons are a different consumers. We’re seeing that people are
the island for the story. Cleary admits sales quietened down booking later, and might downgrade their flight
operator. in February. With the booking window from business to premium, but they aren’t
It is reassuring shrunk to six weeks before departure, it’s compromising on the quality of the hotel.”
to hear that new very difficult to tell what will happen. Adam Stewart, chief executive,
42
luxury hotels are “People would normally be booking Sandals Resorts International
feature caribbean
spring 09
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64