Above: the Antigua and Barbuda delegation in Canada

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Antigua and Barbuda is looking to strengthen its tourism performance in the Canadian market.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority recently sent a delegation led by new Mare Walker, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the North American market, to ramp up sales efforts in Canada.

Walker, who assumed the new role in January, made a visit to Toronto, meeting with hotel representatives, media and tour operators.

“It’s been a pleasure renewing business relationships in Canada,” Walker said. “We are very excited to work with these valuable partners and are looking forward to making Antigua and Barbuda ‘the buzz of the town.”

The move comes after the country saw a significant drop in Canadian tourism last year.

In 2014, Antigua and Barbuda received 27,701 Canadian tourists, representing an 8.4 percent drop compared to the previous year, according to Caribbean Tourism Organization data.

The country’s tourism arrivals grew by 2.5 percent overall.