With thoughts on the forthcoming cruise season, cruise tourism officials from Antigua and Barbuda met this week with senior representatives of various European based cruise lines, to discuss upcoming itineraries and plans.

The meetings took place during the Seatrade Europe show held in Hamburg Germany. Seatrade Europe is the biennial meeting place and trade platform of the European cruise industry attracting over 3,000 participants from 270 organisations bringing together senior buyers and planners from the cruise lines with suppliers from all sectors.

British Airways has announced an increase in flights to Antigua & Barbuda. The positive news comes at a time when the airline has been cutting back on flights to the Caribbean. Antigua & Barbuda is the only Caribbean destination to have gained additional flights.

British Airways released its 2012 long haul operation summer schedule on Friday. The airline which usually operates six flights weekly from London, Gatwick to Antigua will now increase to this number to seven flights per week starting March 25. The additional flight will depart on Tuesdays.

The Hon. John Maginley Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture had a courtesy call today, Friday, 1 April 2011, from Mr. Maurice
M. Zarmati, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Costa Cruise Lines Inc. Costa’s Vessels has Antigua and Barbuda as one
of the premier destinations on their port of call itinerary.

Present at this short meeting held at the Ministry of Tourism was Antigua and Barbuda’s Cruise Executives along with other stake-
holders within the industry. Mr. Colin James CEO, Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Mr. Nathan Dundas Manager, Bryson’s

Workers at LIAT’s ticketing office in Antigua & Barbuda will be among dozens across the region out of work soon, now that the unions have agreed with the airline’s management that staff cuts cannot be avoided. The employees here will be sent home within the next few weeks. The plan by LIAT to close all its city offices across the region as part of a move to save EC$3 million annually, had initially been opposed by the workers’ bargaining agents.

Getting to Montserrat has gotten easier with the start of air services by St. Vincent Grenadines Air (SVG Air) on March 15th, 2011. The airline currently is operating two daily return scheduled flights between Montserrat and Antigua using 9-seater Islander aircrafts. The one-way airfare per passenger is US$74 (EC$200) plus taxes. SVG Air can also add non-guaranteed flights and/or charters to Antigua and neighbouring island based on requests and on market demand. SVG Air has been in operation since 1990, and is based in St. Vincent, Barbados, St.

Miami Beach, FL ( 17th March 2011) -- Antigua and Barbuda was out in full force at Cruise Shipping Miami as the country’s delegation, led by Tourism Minister Hon. John Maginley, held key meetings promoting cruise tourism in the twin-island destination.

The business-to-business event, dubbed “the largest industry exposition of its kind,” attracts over 10,000 exhibitors each year, and gives cruise tourism officials a unique opportunity to remind the cruise industry that Antigua & Barbuda is a destination with a unique product perfectly suited to the modern cruise traveller.