Tourism Authority Launches Public Service Announcements to Sensitize General Public to importance of Tourism

The Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority has unveiled a series of public service announcements aimed at sensitizing the general public to the importance of tourism to the economy of Antigua & Barbuda and advocating positive interactions with our visitors to safeguard and build our tourism product.  The public service announcements feature messages from a bank manager, taxi driver, restaurant owner, customs officer, immigration officer, vendor and entertainer. Each delivers a personal appeal to the general public to support tourism.

The St. John’s Development Corporation Heritage Quay New Regulations goes into effect November 22

The regulations will be fully enforced by the Police who now have the lawful authority to carry out their duty without fear or favor.  The Heritage Quay Regulations controlling vending and taxi operation and all operators in Heritage Quay, will have to be duly registered with the Corporation to ply their trade in the Heritage Quay area.  The Regulations give the Police the power to arrest without a warrant any operator who is unauthorized to vend in the Heritage Quay area.

The Police are encouraging Business owners in Heritage Quay, as well as the general public to park their vehicles in the designated private and public parking facilities located around St. John’s City.  Heritage Quay tenants are also notified that the Police will make special provision for delivery of goods and services. 

In the meantime, the St. John’s Development Corporation has recognized the St. John’s Taxi Association as the authorized taxi operator within the Heritage Quay area.  These regulations will cause the area to be less congested as the taxi operations will be fully improved. Unauthorized taxi operators and vendors who presently ply their trade in Heritage Quay are advised that they will be unable to operate due to the implementation of the regulations.

For the 2010-2011 Winter Cruise Ship Season, there will also be an increased Police presence at Heritage Quay and the environs.  The Heritage Quay regulations will improve customer satisfaction at the Heritage Quay pier and Heritage Quay Shopping Centre.   It will cause the operations at Heritage Quay to “have a new face.”

Antigua and Barbuda Holds Discussions with Cruise Lines

At the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show held in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) Oct 25-29, representatives from the Antigua Pier Group (APG) and the Antigua and Barbuda Cruise Tourism Association (ABCTA) held meetings with several cruise lines including Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian.

The meeting with Carnival Cruise Lines was described as extremely important and promising, and hinted at the possibility of bringing back Carnival to Antigua and Barbuda on a weekly itinerary.   It was felt that some inroads were made, enough so that a follow-up meeting has been set for late November or early December in Miami. 

Discussions with Royal Caribbean focused mainly on RCCL’s continued commitment to servicing Antigua and Barbuda with additional calls, and “getting the dialogue going again” as it concerns the St. John’s Waterfront Development Project which was put on the backburner when the world financial crisis hit.    Meetings with Norwegian centered on a proposal for the Norwegian Epic to be included on the ship’s 7-day itinerary out of Miami.