AHTA Hopeful Despite Tourism Gloom

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Tourism News

Tuesday, 20 October 2009 05:55

By Andy Liburd

The cloud of gloom that has settled over the tourism sector is yet to be removed, but General Manager of the Antigua Hotels and Tourism Association Neil Forrester remains hopeful.

He told Caribarena at least three major hotels re-opened over the past few days – Carlisle Bay, Blue Waters, and Hermitage Bay. But with the downturn in the worldwide economy, expectations are not high that the season will bring the glorious fortunes of the past.

Forrester said Antigua & Barbuda would be lucky to return to the type of figures seen during the last season. October is usually a slow period, he added, making the point that it is still early to make a safe prediction as to how the season will turn out.

The difficulties are further compounded by the limitation in spending resources available to the hotels and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority to undertake the promotions necessary to see an upswing, Forrester noted.

He said there was however hope to be taken from a promotion launched recently in the Daily Telegraph, and some hotels were already reporting positive returns.

It is going to take similar efforts, but with little money to go around, Forrester is of the view that the industry should remain braced for another disappointing season.

Hotel Occupancy Levels Positive Antigua St. John's - According to Antigua Hotels & Tourism Association General Manager Neil Forrester, Antigua & Barbuda has experienced a goo... read more

Recently, industry stakeholders have been meeting with Minister of Tourism John Maginley to map out strategies to weather the difficult period.
The last follow up meeting was held last week.

Forrester said there were various components to the strategy that involved a number of agencies positioned to provide the type of relief hotels need to help kick-start the tourism sector.

Such relief is crucial, he noted, since for hotels to get on track this season they will have to introduce even more discounts, and this would cut into potential profits. He said the proposals are being drafted.

 

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