The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) has opened its first independent overseas office, and it chose Toronto to do it.
A high level delegation was in town last week to officially open the office, located at 201 - 100 Sheppard Avenue East. In attendance were Hon. Charles 'Max' Fernandez, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment, and Colin C. James, Chief Executive Officer of the ABTA, joined by Director of Tourism, Tameka Wharton.
“The elegance of the office represents the destination brand in all respects,” said Minister Fernandez. It’s a one-stop shop that allows the Canadian tourism team to be more responsive and connected to trade and investment partners, along with media and travelers.”
The long-planned office space features sound-proof meeting rooms, virtual reality and recording stations and the Black Pineapple Academy - a conference and training room designed for travel professionals and travel enthusiasts to delve into expert learning, to discover Antigua and Barbuda beyond the beach.
“They have created not just a workspace, but an inspiring hub that perfectly blends functionality with innovation,” says CEO James. “This facility sets a new standard for how a tourism office should operate to maximize productivity and collaboration.”
Wharton is excited to get started in the new space. “Ever since we moved to working remotely during the pandemic, this office has been a vision, years in the making. To see it come to life is incredibly rewarding,” she said. “The first consideration of the office was the wellbeing of each team member. The team is now better positioned to build on our internal camaraderie while we collaborate with our travel advisors, media, and other partners to drive demand and inspire Canadians to choose Antigua and Barbuda for their next getaway.”
James encouraged advisors, who he referred to as “our greatest ambassadors,” to keep Antigua and Barbuda top of mind ahead of the all-important winter season. “You help us share the story of our beautiful twin islands and that means the world to us,” he said.
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