ANTIGUA & BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

The arrival of the first set of Guadeloupians for the Carnival Festivities pictured with Tourism Officials

August 14, 2018 (St. John’s, Antigua) - The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) continued its 2018 regional marketing promotions by showcasing the 2018 Edition of Antigua’s Carnival to a variety of traditional and contemporary media. There was a virtual media frenzy on-island this year with regional media in town to promote the spectacle of Carnival.

The ABTA, in collaboration with the Festivals Commission, was pleased to host top regional bloggers TriniJungleJuice, from Trinidad and Tobago and BajanTube, from Barbados, to capture the Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Festival.

The TriniJungleJuice team arrived in Antigua from the opening of Carnival 2018 and were able to immerse themselves in a variety of events from, T-shirt Mas, to Druesday, Breakfast Fete, Party Monarch, as well as Monday and Tuesday Mas, promoting every exhilarating moment to their over one million followers across their different social media platforms. Additionally, BajanTube managed to engross themselves completely in the Carnival festivities, despite Crop Over in Barbados being in full swing. The heightened social media engagement was evident across the regional bloggers’ platforms, as the coverage received saw persons both regionally and internationally vowing to participate in Antigua’s Carnival 2019 and those visiting promising to return.

Marketing Consultant at ABTA and Minister of Sports, Culture, National Festivals and the Arts, Hon. Daryl Matthew with heads of the Guadeloupe Team

While covering the Carnival activities, the bloggers also experienced the diversity of the island, taking part in tours and attractions such as, ziplining at the Antigua Rainforest, go-carting around with Salty Dogs buggies, and promoting a ‘live’ island tour.

In addition to online media, the ABTA also had One Caribbean Television (OCTV) taking Antigua’s Carnival to the wider region, as a part of their regional Carnival coverage. Antigua was one of three featured destinations, along with Toronto and Barbados, where live footage and interviews were carried via CBS Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands, ABC TV Network Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands, the CW Network USVI, and One Caribbean TV.
Another major media highlight for the Carnival season, was the welcome visit of 100-plus Guadeloupians, who came to immerse themselves in the rich culture of Antigua and Barbuda for Carnival. The large group was greeted by the Minister of Sports, Culture, National Festivals and the Arts, Hon. Daryl Matthew, and Marketing Consultant at the ABTA, Mrs. Charmaine Spencer and other Tourism Officials.

One Caribbean TV Interviewing Minister of Tourism and Investment. Hon. Charles Fernandez

Hon. Daryl Matthew noted, “Guadeloupe and Antigua have always had a great connection throughout history and it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Greatest Summer Festival. The government and people of Antigua and Barbuda are here to ensure your time is enjoyable and that you return for another year to participate in the summer festivities.”

The group paraded the streets of St. John’s on Carnival Tuesday displaying their Guadeloupian culture to the people of Antigua and Barbuda. Dressed in their cultural mas wear which included straw skirts, painted bodies and detailed headpieces, the group danced through the streets to the sounds of their own drums and other cultural instruments.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority also partnered with Caribbean Airlines to show appreciation and welcome visitors to the destination during the festive period. The destination also saw an influx of visitors from Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana thanks to the introduction of LIAT’s direct daily flight which was introduced in early July.

Carnival Activation with Caribbean Airline and ABTA Representatives

Mrs. Spencer expressed, “The ABTA is extremely happy with the coverage received for the destination during and after Antigua and Barbuda’s Carnival 2018. It has been an eventful season and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is hoping to keep building momentum with more marketing initiatives in the pipeline for the near future.”

One Caribbean TV Interviewing a Tropical Adventures Crew

TriniJungleJuice Media Info
http://trinijunglejuice.com
www.facebook.com/trinijunglejuice/
www.instagram.com/trinijunglejuice/

BajanTube Media Info
http://www.bajantube.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Bajantube/
www.instagram.com/bajantube/