Antigua's tourism soars: 15% increase in first half of 2024 . During a recent press conference at the Tourism Authority headquarters, Minister of Tourism, Max Fernandez, highlighted the remarkable growth, stating, "Stopover visitor arrivals increased from January to June 2024, from 154,333 in January to June 2023 to 176,655 in January to June 2024, when comparing the same period in 2019, which was our best year this represents a +10% increase from161,434 at the end of June of that year. We are well on the way to a record year for Tourism arrivals." The United States and the United Kingdom emerged as key source markets for this growth. The hosting of eight games in the T20 World Cricket Cup tournament from June 9 to 23 further boosted visitor numbers, attracting spectators from Europe, the United States, India, Australia, and South Africa. Emphasizing the importance of sports tourism, Fernandez noted, "This is [...]

Disney Cruise Line's Lookout Cay is a cultural departure from Castaway Colorful crepe paper fluttered like feathers on the edges of costumes as about a dozen Bahamians clinked cowbells, banged goatskin drums and paraded through the center of Disney Cruise Line's newly opened private destination. In a departure from its Castaway Cay private island, which focuses on make-believe and Disney themes, Disney Cruise Line's newest destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, embraces the culture of the people who live here by showcasing their unique music, art and designs and their annual national celebration called Junkanoo. That cultural expression was woven throughout Lookout Cay. Sometimes it was through architectural structures inspired by Bahamian seashells. In another case, the Rush Out Gush Out water play area was inspired by shacks where locals dream up Junkanoo parade costumes to don in the wee hours the day after Christmas and on New Year's Day. "I'm [...]

Hawaii Tourism Authority launches certification program The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) has launched a visitor industry certification program entitled Qurator, which evaluates participating state tourism businesses on six criteria: environment, cultural support, equity, safety, community and guest experience. The program was unveiled at a June 26 press conference in Honolulu, where HTA officials joined with members of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement's (CNHA) Kilohana tourism division to introduce Qurator's certification details. "Qurator isn't just a stamp of approval," Mufi Hannemann, the HTA board chair, said in a statement. "It speaks to a set of brand values for the Hawaiian Islands that we care deeply about our land, our people, our culture and our guests. It's a recognition of the interdependent relationship between businesses, visitors and our broader local community." Qurator certification first requires a "self-evaluation" conducted by participating tourism businesses, making use of a survey featuring up to 220 questions designed for [...]