Caribbean
BARBADOS (CA220) Cheryl Carter, UK & Ireland director
WHAT’S BEEN A CHALLENGE IN 2018? The decline in UK consumer confidence after the Brexit referendum in June 2016, which has made destinations like ours more expensive. Despite this, Barbados is still performing well, with a 3% year-on-year increase in UK visitor arrivals recorded at the end of August.
WHAT’S NEW IN THE FOOD TOURISM MARKET? We’re so proud of the culinary scene in Barbados that 2018 was our Year of Culinary Experiences. It’s highlighting the diversity of our offering, whether that’s dining in an award- winning restaurant, eating with locals in a rum shop or feasting on Bajan dishes in a beach shack.
Events have included the
ELITE ISLAND RESORTS GROUP (CA260) Paula Whitehead, European managing director
HOW ARE BOOKINGS PERFORMING? We’ve had a great year and see a strong 2019 booking pattern across Elite Island Resorts locations. We’re incredibly proud of the strength of our travel agent relationships and our booking levels reflect this. Our incentive and fam programmes remain well received.
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2018/19? We have a new opening – Hammock Cove Antigua – in summer 2019 and a new fitness partnership launching with musician Fleur East. Our Fat Buddha Yoga and Caribbean Choir retreats will continue in 2019. Galley Bay Resort and St James’s Club on Antigua and Palm
Island Grenadines have all enjoyed major renovations.
WHAT’S YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY FOR 2019? We’re known for our “all-inclusive plus” offering because beyond dining we include watersports and exclusive wellbeing events in the price of a stay. Our wellbeing menu continues to grow and really addresses the changing needs of our guests, who come back year after year eager to learn a new skill or maintain their fitness routines.
Sugar and Rum Season and the Food and Rum Festival.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR TOURISM IN 2019? It’s the Year of Wellness and Soft Adventure, so we will position Barbados as a destination that promotes a healthy lifestyle. Visitors will be able to treat themselves to a pampering week in a luxurious spa hotel, and find balance of mind, body and soul while hiking the east coast, or try watersports in Barbados’s azure sea.
ELEGANT HOTELS (CA220) Sunil Chatrani, chief executive
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST NEWS OF 2018? We are delighted to be finalising the details on our first Antigua-based property, Hodges Bay Resort & Spa, officially launching this winter. It will bring Miami-chic to the north coast with high-end culinary outlets, villa living and two pools. Our prestigious Colony Club property, on Barbados’s west coast, will launch the island’s first – and largest – Rum Vault this month in celebration of the resort’s 70th anniversary.
WHAT PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENTS SHOULD WE LOOK OUT FOR IN 2019? We’re joining forces with wedding designer Emma Corrie to launch four wedding design concepts alongside our 2019 luxury wedding packages. Whether it’s a large, glamorous affair, beach party or laid-back celebration, Emma’s creations can be tailored to individual needs.
WHAT MARKETS ARE YOU TARGETING IN 2019? We have a strong reputation in the UK and the US and will grow these markets, educating existing and new guests about our entry into the Antiguan market. As long as the infrastructure and airlift can support those offerings, we are not fixed on our next location.
THE GREAT HOUSE ANTIGUA (CA209) Gabriella Howell, director
WHAT IS THE TOP REASON TO STAY? There is nowhere else on our island that can offer old and new in the way we do. At The Great House Antigua, we welcome guests to a tropical paradise in a historic plantation, where they can relax and revitalise their mind and body. Our team will pamper visitors and soothe their worries in the spa and through wellness classes and talks. Our team knows that guests’ comfort is the first concern, so whether they’re visiting in a group or a couple,
it’s certain that they’ll leave feeling refreshed and revitalised.
HOW ARE BOOKINGS IN 2018? They have been slowly increasing since our launch in March thanks to some tremendous media coverage, and we’re looking forward to a busy 2019.
WHAT DEVELOPMENTS DO YOU HAVE IN THE PIPELINE? We’re excited about plans to convert our 16th-century sugar mill into a relaxation tower complete with views over the bay and out to sea – perfect for watching the sun go down and the stars beginning to sparkle. By October 2019, we plan to have added eight more bedrooms in Caribbean-style cottages across the plantation grounds.
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