Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority Reports Strong Growth, Anticipates Record-Breaking Year

• The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) is celebrating a robust period of growth in the destination’s tourism sector, with promising prospects for the coming months. Colin C James, CEO of ABTA, provided an update on the country’s performance and plans, highlighting the impressive upward trend in visitor arrivals.
• Tourism, the country’s primary source of revenue, remains vital to its economic survival. Arrivals for the first half of 2025 rose 4% compared to the previous year, with June 2025 alone seeing over 25,500 visitors, primarily from the United States, Latin America, and regional markets. Notably, Latin American arrivals surged by nearly 195%, signalling a positive trajectory for the destination.
• A key focus has been on expanding air connectivity. The airline sector has reported a significant increase in capacity, with full flights into Antigua during peak periods and new airline partnerships coming online. It is expected that the return of the Condor Airline from Germany, as well as increased capacity from existing partners, will bolster winter tourism numbers.
• The Tourism Authority has also intensified efforts to attract regional visitors, particularly from Trinidad, Barbados, and Canada. Plans are also underway to grow Antigua’s cruise industry, with an emphasis on homeporting initiatives to establish Antigua as a premier port of call and homeport destination.
• Looking ahead to the end of the year, James expressed optimism that the upcoming tourism peaks and key industry events will provide critical opportunities to build industry relationships, showcase Antigua’s offerings, and secure future bookings.

(Source: CariCRIS)