{"id":182584,"date":"2023-08-17T07:37:26","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T11:37:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=182584"},"modified":"2023-08-17T07:37:26","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T11:37:26","slug":"antigua-barbuda-celebrate-strong-recovery-as-year-to-date-canadian-arrivals-climb-164-vs-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/antigua-barbuda-celebrate-strong-recovery-as-year-to-date-canadian-arrivals-climb-164-vs-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Antigua & Barbuda celebrate strong recovery as year-to-date Canadian arrivals climb 164% vs. 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Travel Week \u2014 Year-to-date visitor stats to Antigua and Barbuda from the Canadian market show Canadian arrivals up 164% compared to 2022 \u2013 and \u201cno other source of arrivals is even close to that figure,\u201d says Colin James, CEO of Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority.<\/span><\/p>

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At an event last night celebrating the ABTA\u2019s island hospitality, co-hosted by James and the ABTA\u2019s Director of Tourism, Tameka Wharton, and Jennifer Dzialo, Senior Vice President of Partner Relations at Ensemble, the Caribbean destination\u2019s partners in this market heard all the good news for 2023, plus a look ahead to 2024.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Attendees also enjoyed Antiguan-style food, music and cocktails, all at Ensemble\u2019s Toronto headquarters at 2 Queen St. East.<\/p>

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Travelweek connected with James ahead of the event, to find out more about Antigua & Barbuda for the coming winter season\u2026<\/p>

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Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority CEO, Colin James, and Director of Tourism, Tameka Wharton<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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T<\/strong>ravelweek: What are some good-news stats from Antigua & Barbuda that underline the destination\u2019s ongoing recovery?<\/strong><\/p>

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James:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201c2022 was a good year for the destination, with Canadian tourist arrivals of 265,119, nearly surpassing those of the pre-pandemic period in 2019. This was an increase of 56% over the previous year.<\/p>

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\u201cDespite news and worries of a potential \u2018short-term\u2019 recession, it appears Canadians are still prioritizing travel and are continuing to book. We are encouraged by the way the numbers are trending so far in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe aren\u2019t resting on our laurels, despite this good news. We remain focused on exceeding pre-pandemic visitor arrival numbers, through our various offerings and top-line strategies within the boating, fishing, diving and private aviation segments in particular.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Travelweek: How is the Canadian market performing for the islands and what\u2019s the outlook for winter 2023-24?<\/strong><\/p>\n

James:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThus far, we have welcomed 17,780 Canadian arrivals \u2013 a YTD increase of 164% compared to 2022. No other source of arrivals is even close to that figure \u2013 Canada\u2019s YTD growth is over 100% higher than the next highest market.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccordingly, we think it is an exciting time for Canadians to travel to Antigua and Barbuda, and we\u2019ve reflected that excitement in our outreach and campaigns. Our destination is in the midst of two exciting promotions that will continue to carry the momentum we\u2019ve built for the rest of 2023, into 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpecifically, we launched a new campaign this year focusing on a single word: \u2018And\u2019. It speaks to the cohesion of the Antigua & Barbuda experience: not as two separate islands, but as one unified destination that is best experienced together.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the other hand, The Year of Wellness has been a success for us. With our natural beauty and manmade luxuries, Antigua and Barbuda has excelled as a Wellness destination.<\/p>\n

Yoga, hiking, bespoke spa experiences, guided meditation, and healthy, organic eating \u2013 are just a few of the initiatives that have helped to drive traffic this year and will help us finish 2023 strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Jennifer Dzialo, Senior VP Partner Relations, Ensemble, and Colin James, CEO of Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Travelweek: What lift will Antigua & Barbuda have out of Canada for winter 2023-24?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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James:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cCanadians will enjoy many choices for accessibility to Antigua and Barbuda this winter. WestJet, Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and Sunwing Airlines all fly non-stop to Antigua and Barbuda.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMany of these carriers will increase the frequency of their service as we get closer to winter, so lift to the destination will be in a historically good place.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Travelweek: Any resort news?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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James:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWe had a few properties open in late 2022 including \u2026<\/p>\n