Antigua & Barbuda make it clear that the beach is just the beginning

Antigua & Barbuda is making it clear that Canada is an important market for the destination that bills itself as the Heart of the Caribbean and that the Canadian travel trade is an integral part of its success here.

It’s a message that was delivered by none other than Antigua & Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation, and Investment, Hon. H.  Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez at an event in Toronto this week and during which, he drove home the point that for visiting Canadians, “the beach is just the beginning” of their vacation in Antigua & Barbuda.

In conversation with Travel Press Today, Minister Fernandez explained that he was in Canada to tap into what’s a happening in the Canadian market, to see if there was anything that they needed to do for their partners here to enhance the relationship and most importantly to let its trade partners know that the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority is reopening its office in Canada and will now have a physical presence in the market after being virtual during the pandemic.

And the Minister noted that the Toronto-based office will be known as the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism and Investment Board.

During the evening, Fernandez also had high praise for the tourism authority’s Canadian team — led by Tamika Wharton its Canadian director – and the success it has achieved in this market.

Colin James, CEO of the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority, joined Minister Fernandez on his Canadian visited, speaking with TPT, explained that “it’s all about relationships” and making sure that the destination’s story is told to Canadians and the travel trade is the perfect conduit to tell that story.

James notes that the tourism authority doesn’t have a huge budget, so, in order to effectively get its message out to Canadians, it depends on its partners to spread the word.

It is a strategy that seems to be working as Antigua & Barbuda had its “best year ever” out of Canada in 2024, welcoming some 32,000 Canadian visitors and by all accounts that growth is continuing in 2025.

That’s not a surprise for James who points out that Antigua & Barbuda is safe, affordable and easily accessible (with flights available from both Air Canada and WestJet) and is “a good fit for the Canadian market.”

Along with 365 beaches – one for every day of the year – Antigua & Barbuda also offer a wide range of activities and special events that target a variety of market segments – romance, wedding, honeymoon, sailing, gastronomy, nature, culture, history and a whole lot more.

The message, as James delivered it, is simple: “If you’re looking for a destination that’s affordable, safe and welcoming, then come to Antigua and Barbuda.”

For more, go to https://tryantigua.ca/ .

In the photo

Seen here, from l to r, are Colin James, CEO of the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority; Tamika Wharton, Director Canada of the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority; and Antigua & Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation, and Investment, the Honourable Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez during an event in Toronto on Aug. 12, 2025.