By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

U.K. luxury tour operators have reported growth in revenue in revenue following the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s recent marketing campaign.

Luxury tour operator, the Inspiring Travel Company has reported an increase in Antigua bookings this year, with revenue up three percent year on year, despite an overall drop in room nights.

“‘Forward bookings for 2018 to Antigua & Barbuda are a real success story for us, with our room nights up 98 percent and our revenue up 123 percent as of August 1,” said Helen Tabois, Senior Product and Marketing Manager at ITC Travel Group.

“We’re trading strongly for the Caribbean overall, up 25 percent, but it’s clear that Antigua & Barbuda is leading the way,” she added. “This increase in both volume of business and revenue has been driven by our focus on just a handful of hotels at the luxury end of the market.’

“The idea behind the campaign in June 2017 was to increase awareness of the destination beyond the beach, proactively push last minute summer and autumn sales to Antigua as well as bookings for 2018,” said Jean-Marc Flambert, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing – U.K. and Europe.

“We are delighted to see that tour operators are reporting not only strong bookings, but increased revenue,” Flambert said. “It showcases the strength of brand marketing and how despite the economic challenges in the U.K., there is an appetite for exclusive destinations like Antigua and Barbuda. We look forward to continuing to support our tour operator partners by engaging with the U.K. consumer.”