El Ministro de turismo, aviación civil, transporte e inversiones de Antigua y Barbuda, el Honorable Charles Fernández, encabezó a principios de este mes Routes Americas, un evento de desarrollo de servicios aéreos, en Bogotá, Colombia. Junto con el Ministro, formaban parte de la Autoridad de Turismo de Antigua y Barbuda (ABTA) included the Director of Tourism for the Caribbean and Latin America, Charmaine Spencer, the Director of Sales and Marketing (USA), Norrell Joseph, the Director of Business Development (UK), Joel Henry, and the Managing Director of BlueSea, Maria Britto-Bettini. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism officials had a busy schedule, holding thirty-five meetings with airline executives over three days. Following productive discussions with American Airlines, the immediate outcome was an increase in flights. Daily flights from Charlotte (North Carolina) to V.C. Bird International Airport will begin on December 5, 2024, and continue throughout the Caribbean winter season (summer in the Southern Hemisphere). The Miami route will also continue to operate two daily flights during the summer and winter, offering year-round service from Miami International. Delta will also increase service to twice a week during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter seasons in 2024 and 2025.
The Tourism Minister stated, “We are enjoying increases in air transport from our established markets, with the USA continuing to show the greatest expansion, with more daily flights added for the critical summer and winter months. We are pleased that American Airlines will offer daily flights to Antigua from JFK and Charlotte airports in winter and will maintain double daily services from Miami, boosting air connectivity through the company’s main hubs.”
Además del incremento de los servicios aéreos con American Airlines, el destino también verá cómo JetBlue aumenta sus vuelos de tres veces por semana a vuelos diarios en el verano caribeño de 2024. Delta aumentará sus vuelos desde Atlanta a dos veces por semana en el invierno de 2024, y United ofrecerá servicios diarios durante los meses de invierno (verano en el hemisferio sur). Este crecimiento del transporte aéreo desde el mayor mercado emisor será vital para apoyar el aumento de habitaciones con la apertura de nuevas propiedades como el Royalton Chic.
Otros éxitos notables fueron el mantenimiento por parte de Westjet de dos vuelos semanales durante todo el año desde Canadá, y la reanudación del servicio directo de Condor desde Fráncfort durante la temporada de invierno, de noviembre de 2024 a abril de 2025.
British Airways, la mayor aerolínea que vuela a este destino desde el Reino Unido, también está estudiando la posibilidad de ofrecer un servicio diario desde el Reino Unido en la próxima temporada de invierno en el Caribe..
Todas las aerolíneas que operan actualmente en Antigua han informado que la demanda del destino está creciendo como resultado de las fuertes campañas de marketing que está llevando a cabo la Autoridad de Turismo.
La participación en Routes Americas, en Colombia, también brindó la oportunidad de forjar valiosas conexiones con responsables regionales e influencers de la toma de decisiones en materia de desarrollo de servicios aéreos y con otros responsables del turismo y viajes, especialmente en el mercado latinoamericano, en plena expansión.
During a welcome cocktail hosted by ABTA and organized by EM Marketing & Communication as part of the Routes Conference, to network with airline officials, tourism professionals, media, and regional and government officials, the Minister stated: “It is important for me to emphasize that, along with our established markets, Antigua and Barbuda recognizes that the Latin American traveler will be vital in boosting our tourism figures.” He added, “Antigua and Barbuda’s ability to forge strong and mutually rewarding partnerships within Latin America are fundamental to our long-term strategy, and the growth of our connectivity is a direct result of ABTA’s strategy to execute specific sales strategies in key markets.”
La conferencia y exposición anual Routes Americas está dedicada al desarrollo de rutas aéreas mediante reuniones con aerolíneas mundiales. Esto permite a los destinos fomentar las relaciones con compañías aéreas nuevas y existentes, desarrollar estrategias y, al mismo tiempo, mantener y mejorar las rutas aéreas. Cada año, la conferencia reúne a los principales responsables de aerolíneas, aeropuertos y autoridades turísticas de todo el continente americano (Norteamérica, Centroamérica, Sudamérica), el Caribe, el Reino Unido y Europa, para debatir y acordar sus redes de rutas aéreas.
About Antigua and Barbuda Antigua (pronounced An-tee’ga) and Barbuda (Bar-byew’da) are located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. This twin island paradise offers its visitors two unique experiences, ideal year-round temperatures, a rich history, vibrant culture, exciting excursions, award-winning resorts, mouthwatering cuisine, and 365 stunning white and pink sand beaches, one for each day of the year. Antigua, the largest of the Leeward Islands, covers 108 square miles and boasts a rich history and spectacular topography that provides a variety of tourist attractions. Nelson’s Dockyard, the only remaining example of a Georgian fort declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, is perhaps the most famous landmark. Antigua’s tourism event calendar includes Antigua and Barbuda Wellness Month, Run in Paradise, the prestigious Antigua Sailing Week, Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, Antigua and Barbuda Restaurant Week, Antigua and Barbuda Art Week, and Antigua’s annual Carnival, known as the biggest summer festival in the Caribbean. Barbuda, Antigua’s smaller sister island, is the ultimate celebrity retreat. The island lies 27 miles northeast of Antigua, just a 15-minute flight away. Barbuda is renowned for its 11 miles of pristine pink sand beaches and for housing the largest frigate bird sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere. More information about Antigua and Barbuda at: www.visitantiguabarbuda.com “Antigua and Barbuda’s ability to forge strong and mutually rewarding partnerships within Latin America are fundamental to our long-term strategy, and the growth of our connectivity is a direct result of ABTA’s strategy to execute specific sales strategies in key markets.”