ANTIGUA & BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

ANTIGUA, WEST INDIES - Hotelier Rob Barrett announced that Sunwing Travel Group will be assuming the management and marketing of Jolly Beach Resort in the immediate future.  "This is a major and very meaningful victory for Antigua and Barbuda's travel industry and economy," said Barrett. This arrangement will mean an additional 18 thousand seats into Antigua for this upcoming winter season.
 
Barrett took over the management and marketing of Jolly Beach Resort in January of 2016 and promised to keep the underperforming resort open and operational.  Barrett made good on his promise, injecting significant amounts of money and resources into Jolly Beach and saving the jobs of hundreds of Jolly Beach employees in the process.
 
Yesterday in Antigua, Barrett met with Sunwing Travel Group CEO Stephen Hunter along with Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Minister of Tourism Asot Michael.  "Our meeting was very positive and productive," said Barrett, "and I am extremely pleased to be handing over the reins to Sunwing Travel Group."
 
"Importantly," Barrett continued, "Mr. Hunter has a clear vision for the future success of Jolly Beach, and Sunwing Travel Group has the ability to invest a substantial amount of money to renovate and improve the resort.  Sunwing Travel Group will be able to carry out renovations one phase at a time, allowing the Jolly Beach to remain open and ensuring the ongoing employment of the resort's excellent staff and management team."
 
Sunwing Travel Group, which recently acquired Royal Antiguan, "is making very significant investments in Antigua and Barbuda, which will help take our tourism industry to the next level," said Barrett.  "Additionally, this winter, Sunwing Travel Group is likely to add two or three flights to Antigua, which will benefit all of us," he noted.
"We have developed a very strong, excellent relationship with Mr. Hunter and Sunwing Travel Group," said Barrett.  "Moreover, Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his administration, including Minister of Tourism Asot Michael, have done a terrific job building confidence in Antigua and Barbuda's economy and attracting major tourism industry investors like Sunwing Travel Group."
 
In addition to the good news regarding Jolly Beach and Royal Antiguan, Mr. Barrett is demonstrating his confidence and commitment to Antigua by commencing the construction of Hammock Cove, a brand new luxury resort near The Verandah Resort & Spa.  Hammock Cove will be opening for business in 2018.
 
"These are exciting times for Antigua and Barbuda," said Barrett.  "We are all committed to working together closely with the common goals of creating new employment opportunities, growing the country's economy, and keeping Antigua and Barbuda at the forefront of tourism to the Caribbean."

About Sunwing Travel Group
The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing Travel Group is comprised of Sunwing Vacations and Signature Vacations, two of the leading leisure tour operators in Canada; Sunwing Airlines, Canada's premier leisure airline; and Vacation Express, a growing tour operator in the United States together with the Group's own travel retail businesses SellOffVacations.com and Luxe Destination Weddings.  Blue Diamond Resorts is the Sunwing Travel Group's hotel management company, an innovative organization that operates popular resort brands like Royalton Luxury Resorts, CHIC by Royalton, Grand Lido, Memories, and Starfish across the Caribbean and Mexico; while NexusTours provides destination management services to individuals, groups, agencies, corporate businesses and tour operators.