ANTIGUA & BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

 

Beach holidays are meant to be synonymous with relaxation, but stressed-out travellers who struggle to switch off their mobile phones and Blackberries, have prompted one Caribbean hotel group to take drastic action.
 

A family of resorts, across Antigua, Grenada, the Grenadines, St Lucia and Tortola, has banned holidaymakers from using mobile phones on their beaches in an attempt to maintain their tranquil setting.
 

Elite Island Resorts has introduced the new ‘no mobile’ policy at nine beaches after consumer research found that 77 per cent of people believe that time without gadgets and technology would liberate them, improve their relationships, make them a better person and give them more time for their loved ones.

 

Paula Whitehead, European managing director, Elite Island Resorts told Mail Online: 'Caribbean holidays are all about kicking back and enjoying the sun, sea and cocktails but so often people are distracted by their mobiles or Blackberries. 'You only have to see an email from work on the sun-lounger for all the relaxation power of a holiday to go out of the window.'
 

She added: 'Mobile technology and social media give us freedom to communicate 24/7 but people can find themselves becoming slaves to them even on holiday. We want people to have a break from them, even if it’s just for the few hours they are on the beach.'
 

One beach at each of Elite’s resorts will be mobile free. It will not be policed in any structured way but guests will be asked politely to respect the policy.  
 

Signs have been placed at all beaches and guests are reminded about the policy when they check-in and in the information packs provided in their rooms. Read more here.