Recently published online by Caribbean News Now, hotelier, Rob Barrett, the CEO and operator of three hotels on Antigua, St. James Club, Galley Bay and Verandah Resort and Spa, announced some very encouraging news.
‘The first quarter of 2013, January through March, has been the best quarter in terms of financial results I have experienced since coming to Antigua over 20 years ago, despite lingering and significant global economic challenges in both North America and the UK’.
Attributing some of the growth to, in his words’, ‘I believe some of the recent strength is the result of positive changes happening on island which affect visitors’ perceptions from their welcome with improved customs and immigration processing to the more efficient taxi operations. These together provide an overall better arrival experience for visitors’.
Mr. Barrett also commented on ‘more positive Government cooperation as the tourism ministry seems more proactive in so many facets that bring heightened awareness to our island and people’. Adding “we support the ministry’s efforts to deliver a new, more user friendly website and to work more closely with the private sector’ and ‘Antigua’s Government and Ministry of Tourism seems more progressive and accessible’
Are there any lessons that ‘we’ as a destination (Barbados) can learn from this? It would appear so. Antigua recorded an increase of 2.3 per cent in long stay visitors last year, compared with our decline of 5.5 per cent. A more than 7 per cent differential.
For 2013, Mr. Barrett’s three hotels are ‘cautiously optimistic’ that they will ‘see a five to seven per cent increase in summer business, if all of us continue on this path’. Let us hope that this success can spread to the former Almond St. James hotel, now renamed The Club, also part of Elite Islands group that encompasses the three hotels in Antigua.
From a guest perspective, certainly if comments made by those posting reviews on TripAdvisor , they appear to have got the product right, with one of hotels scoring a higher rating of customer satisfaction than the Sandals property on that island.
A number of industry observers had suggested that I devote this week’s column to the new promotional initiative, branded Barbados Island Inclusive, which was partially unveiled in a media conference on 20th April. I would rather not comment in detail, because frankly, I am still a little puzzled, so at this stage, will simply ask some questions:
First, why have the media meeting without divulging full details of the programme?
Large sectors of the industry are left guessing if participation is limited to BHTA members, or open to all tax paying tourism operators. The reported $11 million cost represents a staggering 11 per cent of the total budget allocated to the BTA for the current fiscal year.
It’s stated objective is to attract 15,000 ‘additional’ visitors who are predicted to spend $30 million. After the promotional expenses, that is a projected return of just US$90 per day per person, based on a average stay of 7 nights.
So what is the rationale of speculating such a large amount, to attract less than 2.75 per cent of total long stay visitors recorded in 2012, who may outlay 1.5 per cent of the average yearly earnings from the entire tourism sector? Also what is stopping regular repeat visitors taking advantage of this offer and therefore further reducing anticipated revenue?
Hopefully, everything will become clearer and more transparent, as time goes by.
The blogmaster invites you to join and add value to the discussion.