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Issue 25
| An online magazine about investing, living, working and relocating to the Caribbean. | |
T O U R I S M T R E A T S |
| TOURISM TIDBITS
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CARNIVAL : THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
Looking for a unique vacation in February – why not try the Trinidad Carnival, which has been described by many as the one of the most colorful and culturally diverse pre-Lenten celebrations in the world. It is the biggest, most explosive and vibrant festival where people from all walks of life come together for a celebration of culture, calypso and cuisine.
Trinidad’s Carnival is not a typical parade because no one stands along the road side to watch the masquerade bands go by – you join in, sing, dance and are completely part of the event. In 2009, Trinidad Carnival culminates on February 23 and 24.
Many countries host their own Carnival celebration each year, but Trinidad & Tobago’s unique components, such as Panorama, Kings and Queens Costume Competition, Kiddies Carnival, J’Ouvert and Masquerade Band of the Year, make it stand out from the rest.
Schedule of Events:
Kiddies Carnival - Saturday, February 21
Carnival Saturday belongs to the children. This is when the masqueraders of the future come out dressed in costumes. Thousands of excited children, from tiny tots to teenagers, take to the streets with their proud parents waving enthusiastically from the sidelines. Kids participate from as early as parents can get them into costume, sometimes even strollers are decorated. DJ music blasts from the street corners, the sun blazes down on a sea of bright colors as the nation’s youth leaps and dances.
Panorama - Saturday, February 21
Created in 1963, Panorama is the annual competition for national instrument – the steel pan. Preliminary contests are held throughout the country in the weeks leading up to Carnival. The finals are held on the Saturday night before Carnival officially begins and represents the ultimate test of pan beating. The best of the best compete in front of the crowd of spectators and judges. Each band performs one song for the allotted time of ten minutes. The bands are judged on a scale of 100 points: 40 for arrangement, 40 for general performance, 10 for tone and 10 for rhythm. Winners are awarded in the categories of best small, medium and large band.
Kings and Queens Costume Competition - Sunday, February 22
These costumes, weighing between 50 – 200 lbs, usually depict colorful dragons that breathe fire, butterflies that bounce and flutter or insects with glowing eyes and antennas. They are the leaders of each one of the masquerade bands and the costume competition for King and Queen is fierce. Designers spend months creating spectacular and stunning costumes that can reach up to 30 feet high and are usually attached to wheels, making mobility easier for the brave soul who will spend two days in it parading and dancing on the streets of Port of Spain. Upon presenting their works of art to judges, designers enhance their stage show presence and their chance of winning with special effects such as lasers, fog, light shows, fireworks and musical sound effects.
J’Ouvert - Monday, February 23
J’Ouvert, the official start of Carnival, takes place before dawn on Carnival Monday. Revelers dress in old clothes and cover themselves in oil, grease, paint, chocolate and/or mud and parade through the towns and villages of Trinidad to the sounds of soca and calypso until the sun comes up. Once J’Ouvert is over, it’s time to grab breakfast, catch a few hours of sleep before venturing back onto the streets of Port of Spain to join the masquerade bands as they continue the celebrations throughout the day and into the night.
Carnival Monday and Tuesday -Monday, February 23 and Tuesday, February 24
Mas (short for masquerade) bands consist of thousands of people ‘jumping up’ in the streets of Port of Spain. Band members wear glittery, colorful, scantily-clad costumes. Each band has its own historical, mythological or tropical concept with various sections of the band depicting aspects of the theme. Carnival Monday is just a “warm-up” for Carnival Tuesday and marching begins around midday after J’Ouvert morning.
Participants view it as a dress rehearsal (headpieces and full costume are not required) for Carnival Tuesday, as well as a qualification for judging. Carnival Tuesday begins promptly at 8 a.m. and masqueraders are in full costume ready and waiting to strut their stuff and dance wildly in front of the judges. Bands are judged in three categories: small, medium and large band and winners are announced after all the bands have been judged. The grand champion is crowned Masquerade Band of the Year.
HOSPITALITY INVESTORS PREDICT ECONOMIC REBOUND FOR 2009Despite widespread economic uncertainty, a majority of hospitality industry investors expect 2009 to be a year of economic recovery within the hotel industry, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), which recently conducted a survey of past and current delegates of its annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), taking place Jan. 26-28 in San Diego.Of the 3,000 investors surveyed, 53 percent said they feel the economic situation for the hotel industry will turn around in 2009—most believing that it will do so in the third or fourth quarter. Less than half of investors surveyed—47 percent—believe the hotel industry will continue struggling at least until 2010.While more than 77 percent of ALIS survey respondents predict that money will flow into the acquisitions market, eventually stimulating new hotel development activity, 65 percent said that the federal government must first pass more economic stimulus measures with which to jump start the national economy."It's encouraging that those in the hospitality investment community are expressing a cautious optimism toward both future industry growth and returning profitability as early as the second half of 2009," Jim Burba, president and conference chair for ALIS organizer BHN, said in a statement. "It will be interesting to see the mood at this year's conference, so soon after the Obama Administration takes the reins of government and introduces a revised economic stimulus package." | |  In the heart of this growth-targeted area, perched amid a pristine natural wonderland above Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast, sits Lomas Coronado…
And, with lots starting at an incredibly low $8 per square meter, it's an excellent early-in opportunity in an area where more mature developments are already attracting buyers at prices in the $40 to $60 (and up) per square-meter range.
The development is divided into 28 spacious lots of between 1.25 acres to over 3 acres, each offering an aerie view of the surrounding lush mountains and valleys, and ranging in price from $55,000 upwards to $350,000 – the latter with a 270-degree panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean below.
The lots are all titled right now; each is held by a single-purpose corporation (S.A.) so that once you take title of your property you can resell at any time. The developer is also finalizing an agreement with Costa Rica's second largest bank to provide financing for qualified buyers, with 30% down and the balance financed at about 8.25% annually over twenty years. |
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AGENTS ILL PREPARED FOR THE IMPENDING RECESSION SAYS RESEARCHMany travel agents are ill-prepared for the impending recession and are facing possible failure, says the latest research. The latest report into the UK travel agency market from industry analysts Plimsoll rates 122 of the UK's leading 845 travel agents companies as being in financial danger. Senior analyst David Pattison said: "There is no doubt in my mind that recessions catch bad businesses out. "Those companies that have entered this period ill-prepared have placed themselves at a distinct disadvantage. Many have grown used to running their businesses on high risk business models, propped up largely on finance. Of the 122 firms rated as facing financial danger 50 increased their debts last year, 91 saw profits fall last year and 78 are losing money. The report claims many of these 122 "danger" businesses are fundamentally poor, aggressive or disruptive and are unhelpful to the market. It makes an example of the airline industry, which it says is 12 to 18 months ahead of the travel agents market in the evolutionary cycle. It claims the failure of XL Leisure was a good thing for industry as it has freed up capacity. Pattison added: "There are 507 terrific companies who can compete fiercely on price and are largely debt free while holding their margins. Most are operating at the height of productivity. These will be the one's to watch in the next period."THE HOTEL BEAT
LET’S MAKE A DEAL – CARIBBEAN STYLEThe Caribbean is on sale. Beachfront rooms from $78 a night. All-inclusive vacations at 70 percent off. Five-night cruises for less than $250. These are just some of the deep discounts on offer as the islands attempt to attract penny-pinching travelers with cut rates and island wide promotions amid the depressing economy.High season for tourism in the Caribbean runs from mid-December through the end of March in the Caribbean and that is when snowbirds from North America and eagles from Europe flock to the sun, sand and sea that only the Caribbean islands can offer. No mind that prices soar to peak levels – hotels and resorts fill up well in advance. But here in 2009, the economy has changed all that this year.Three of the biggest online travel agencies —Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz are all offering numerous Caribbean packages from 30 to 50 percent off across a broad range of vacations, including cruises, through peak season. Wimco Villas has introduced its Value Villas program, normally offered only during the low seasons of summer and fall, with average nightly rates starting at less than $200 a room. And Liberty Travel just rolled out a late winter and early spring sale with discounts starting at 45 percent off at more than 100 Caribbean properties.
Book by Jan. 31.Similarly, hotels on St. Kitts and Nevis (www.stkittstourism.kn), including the Royal St. Kitts Hotel & Casino and Mount Nevis Hotel, are offering a fifth night free and $75 resort credits. Bermuda is offering up to $400 credit at various hotels booked by March 27, based on length of stay.
And Grand Cayman (www.caymanislands.ky/promotions) is advertising daily resort credits ranging from $25 to $100 a day, depending on the property and length of stay.Expedia, for example, has five-night western Caribbean cruises as low as $239 a person on Carnival - that's about $50 a day. A recent search for cheap hotels in Jamaica found room rates as low as $78 in Negril on Travelocity. And Liberty Travel is offering all-inclusive four-night vacations to Aruba from New York with airfare for $699 a person, a savings of 70 percent.The hope is such deals will spur bookings by travelers who have largely been hesitant to commit to a vacation. "There is a tremendously shorter booking window now," said Hugh Riley, interim secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, which has committed to raising $60 million for a marketing campaign to help promote the region. "Consumers don't seem convinced yet that whatever price they're looking at is the lowest it's going to be," he said. "They keep looking for a better deal."Despite the cuts in air routes by the various airlines, there are some decent airfare bargains out there right now. Travelocity has been advertising American Airlines' new nonstop service between Grenada and Miami with four-night vacations to the island from $585 a person. And Liberty Travel has negotiated special rates of 20 percent off with some airlines. Maybe now is the time to get to paradise at a bargain rate.
AIR TRAVEL
RECORD NUMBER OF PRIVATE JETS FLY INTO ANGUILLA FOR THE HOLIDAYSThere was no sign of an economic fallout on the island of Anguilla this holiday season with some 215 private jet flights into the island.Famous throughout the world for its pristine beaches, tony resorts and celebrity clientele, the island’s Wallblake Airport came alive during the Christmas and New Year holiday season with a record-breaking number of executive jets roaring in and out of Anguilla. Causing near traffic jams on the tiny tarmac, and keeping staff working nearly round the clock, jets included Gulfstreams 4s and 5s, Falcon 900s, Citations, Lear Jets, Challengers, Hawkers, Astras, Embraer 135s, Global Expresses and Galaxies. The activity began on December 19, 2008 and continued through January 5, 2009, with celebrity and VIP passengers staying at the signature luxury resorts and renowned super villas that dot the island.LIAT "TOPS THE NET" WITH NEW WEBSITECaribbean regional carrier LIAT takes its online service to another level with an upgraded website offering a convenient one-stop shop for travelers. Visitors to the new www.liat.com can now use the improved site to book their entire vacation or business package – including airline tickets, hotel accommodation, car rentals, cruises, travel insurance and other holiday-related activities. “This new functionality will empower our passengers to compare with what is currently available on the market,” LIAT’s Marketing Manager Derrick Frederick said.  He noted that LIAT was very pleased with the new-look website which brings it in line with state of the art functionality. “I love your new website; it’s really great and the colours are fantastic!” exclaimed one LIAT customer.LIAT’s new in-flight magazine - LIME - can also now be accessed on the website, with full ‘page turning’ technology. “I think it is a lot more attractive and much more user-friendly,” a LIAT customer from Barbados said. “I like the fact that it is not static, that you can see right away what fares are available as well as the accommodation information from LIAT destinations.”
Visitors to LIAT.com who sign up for the e-newsletter will also receive periodic updates with great deals and other relevant information. “The site is world class,” a Trinidadian customer said. “It has a Caribbean flavour that is unbeatable!” ST. KITTS GETS READY FOR BRITISH AIRWAYSPreparations were being finalised British Airways inaugural flight from London-Gatwick into St Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. The British Airways signature has been mounted above two counters between American Airlines and LIAT to receive the first outbound passengers. When the 280-seat Boeing 777 aircraft touches down at St Kitts and Nevis Minister of State for Tourism, Sports and Culture, Senator Richard Skerritt; Minister of Housing, Agriculture and Fisheries, Cedric Liburd, Nevis’ Minister for Communications, Works, Public Utilities, Carlisle Powell and Chairman of the St Kitts Tourism Authority, Alphonso O’Garro, will be among the passengers. Also onboard will be top British Airways officials including General Manager of UK & Ireland Sales, Richard Tams; Business Development Manager, Alison Nichols; Karen Gordon (Marketing) and Public Relations manager, Amanda Allan. Several key travel trade media representatives including Alan Orbell of Selling Long Haul; Martin Ferguson of Travel Trade Gazette and Jo Gardner from ABTA Magazine will also be on the inaugural flight.  During a cocktail reception, a short ceremony to mark the inaugural flight will be chaired by the Tourism Authority’s new Marketing Communications Manager, Saju NG’alla. Opening remarks will be delivered by Minister Skerritt prior to Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Dr Denzil Douglas presenting tokens to the British Airways pilots. The visiting top British Airways officials will make brief remarks before presenting a token to Prime Minister Douglas. This will be followed by remarks by the Prime Minister. The new BA service will depart London Gatwick’s airport at 10.30 a.m., arriving at Robert L. Bradshaw International at 16.45. The return flight will leave St. Kitts at 18.45, arriving at London (Gatwick) at 07.50 the next day.The new weekly flight by BA will not only increase capacity to the destination, but the inclusion of the Club World seats also means that it will be easier for up market UK tour operators to sell both islands of the Federation. The London Gatwick service will also connect a wide array of UK and European cities served by BA. | 
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