The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism will host a chain of Carnival Roadshows across the Caribbean as Antigua’s Carnival – The Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Festival approaches its 60th year celebrations from July 22 – August 2, 2016.
The initiative, which involves partners from the Department of Culture and small hotel properties on the island, promotes the hotels’ special summer offers and also encourages Caribbean travel to Antigua for the summer festival.
Regional Marketing Manager at the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) Charmaine Spencer said, “Our Caribbean arrivals reported for the year to date have grown by 41%. The roadshows are a strategic move to build critical relationships with our travel industry partners within the Caribbean, encourage travel around Antigua’s signature and emerging events, and see further growth in Caribbean visitor arrivals as we move into the summer months.”
“The roadshows give us the opportunity to bring the excitement and festiveness of Antigua’s carnival and the warmth and friendliness of our people direct to the consumer, and issue a personal invitation to the persons we meet to visit Antigua and Barbuda.”
The roadshows which started last weekend in Trinidad included five days of consumer promotions at Trinidad’s major shopping centres, Trincity and Gulf City mall and sales presentations to the largest tour operators in Trinidad, such as Haygem Co. Ltd, Lazzari & Sampson Ltd, and Amrals Travel, as well as smaller travel agencies. Down the line interviews were also conducted on radio 94.1 BoomChampions in Trinidad, radio Power 102, Wac Radio and Gem Radio.
Spencer said, “The Trinidad roadshow was a resounding success for those twenty-three small ‘intimate’ hotels of Antigua & Barbuda, with property representatives interacting with hundreds of mall patrons to directly sell and promote their hotels, as well as, collect information for their databases. It was a great experience for many of the properties including some from Barbuda, who received an opportunity to promote their hotels outside of Antigua and Barbuda.”
Shoppers were entertained by carnival masqueraders, and steelpan music and were able to receive information on hotel pricing and enter raffles to win holidays to Antigua. The summer specials can be viewed on www.visitantiguabarbuda.com
The Trinidad Roadshow delegation included, Compliance & Accommodations Officer in the Ministry of Tourism Dulcie Looby-Greene, Product Development Officer for Barbuda in the Ministry of Tourism Veneta Burton and Director of Culture in the Ministry of Trade, Sports, Culture and National Festivals Vaughn Walter.
The Trinidad promotions will continue with the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority offering the grand prize for the ‘Smother Your Mother’ promotion with radio 94.1, which is a prize of a weekend trip for two inclusive of flights, airport transfers and hotel accommodations. The draw for this promotion will take place for Mother’s Day.
The next Carnival roadshow is expected to take place in Dominica.
The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority has already held prior sales visits in the islands of Guadeloupe and Puerto Rico.