By Alexander Britell

A charming jaunt to historic Nelson’s Dockyard. A beach getaway at Galley Bay or the Pineapple Beach Club.

A week on the marina at South Point.

A family vacation at the venerable Curtain Bluff.

There are a multitude of reasons to visit Antigua and Barbuda beyond its 365 beaches — and more and more travelers seem to be doing just that.

Tourism is surging in Antigua and Barbuda right now, according to the latest numbers from the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Investment.

Curtain Bluff.

Last month, Antigua and Barbuda saw a record-breaking 27,301 visitors, a significant 17.06 percent increase compared to the same month in 2018.

The Pineapple Beach Club in Antigua.

“A seventeen percent increase in arrivals is remarkable growth, and spells exciting news for Antigua and Barbuda”, said Antigua Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez. “We hope to carry forward this momentum through the crucial summer months of May – October with the launch of our global summer marketing campaign, ‘What Cool Looks Like.’  This will all help to increase visitor arrivals and revenue to the destination, during this period.”

Historic Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua.

For the year to date, Antigua and Barbuda tourism is up 8.59 percent, with a total of 117,920 visitors through the end of April.

That’s up from 108,593 in the same period last year.

And that does include Barbuda, whose tourism renaissance includes the relaunch of its signature boutique hotel, the Barbuda Belle. 

The Barbuda Belle.

The growth comes as Antigua and Barbuda continues to be among the most dynamic destinations in the Caribbean, from its sparkling new airport to an enviable hotel pipeline that includes new projects coming from brands ranging from Waldorf Astoria to Rosewood.

Antigua will also soon be home to new overwater bungalows at the recently-debuted Royalton Antigua.

Those new projects will add to a portfolio that includes one of the region’s most diverse collections of luxury all-inclusive hotels, with another set to debut later this year from Elite Island Resorts.

Heading to Antigua and Barbuda? Try one of these six resorts or check out the best all-inclusive vacations in the destination.

— CJ