Tourism and hotels in Antigua

Author: Fernando Frambuesa

The tourism industry is one that can change and evolve quite rapidly as many hoteliers will know. In this article we briefly look at current tourism trends around the southern eastern part of the Caribbean, and specifically for the island of Antigua.

The tourist industry for the small Caribbean island of Antigua arguably owes its roots to the sugar cane industry led very much by Sir Christopher Codrington who established the first English settlement as made the island of Antigua into a significant producer of cane sugar, bringing further investment and development to the country. Sadly much of this was of course all made possible through the slave trade. Without doubt however, Codrington put Antigua on the map and the island remained a member of the British Commonwealth until 1981. Arguably much of the island’s reputation and infrastructure can be attributed with this legacy, and the British involvement there.

Nowadays the island thrives on the tourism industry and relies heavily upon the annual arrival of tourists to some of the well-established Antigua hotels and resorts. The majority of tourist arrivals are in July and August, although Antigua attracts visitors well into October as well.

Antigua has built up a strong reputation for being a unique and luxurious tourist destination, attracting visitors with very high-standards. The resorts and hotels in Antigua reflect this very much, offering five star facilities, levels of service and amenities. Some resorts have even extended their ranges of services to include high-end spa facilities and treatments to attract visitors looking for a transformational vacation experience.

In recent years hotels in Antigua have seen a decline in the number of visitors, despite a steady pattern of growth in the years up to 2006. In some cases registered arrivals have seen a decline of over 10% percent compared with previous years. If we look at the nature of tourism in Antigua, the statistics show that almost 95% of all visitors come to the island for a holiday, with only 2.8% coming for business reasons. The main demographic of tourists lies heavily within the 15-44 age group, suggesting young professionals and families with young children.

What does this mean for people thinking of making a trip to the island or booking a hotel in Antigua? With a decline in numbers to the island, it means that the beaches and facilities will be more enjoyable than ever for those individuals hoping for a quiet and secluded break. It also means that visitors can expect to find some very competitive rates, along with superb service, since hotels and resorts in Antigua will be ever keener to impress.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hotels-articles/tourism-and-hotels-in-antigua-4404086.html

About the Author

Hermitage Bay is a five star luxury hotel in Antigua situated on the west coast of the island, and offers secluded, luxurious accommodation and facilities.

Antigua Hotels on a Budget

Author: Peter Knowler

A trip to Antigua is always going to feel luxurious – the beautiful beaches and incredible natural surroundings can make you feel as though you are holidaying in paradise. But this doesn’t mean that your accommodation has to be hugely expensive. In fact, many Antigua hotels offer reasonable rates year round – though you will be much more likely to find a cheap hotel in Antigua outside the busy season of December to April; late May is perhaps best for budget travellers. These cheaper hotels do not have to be unpleasant or offer poor service, and often the surroundings are enough to make any trip to this island paradise feel like a five star trip.

One way to make your trip to Antigua cheaper is to stay at an all inclusive resort. These provide unlimited food and drink for their customers at one flat rate, meaning you can control from the start how much you’re going to pay for your Antigua hotel and board. There are many of these resorts all across the island and you should have no trouble finding one to suit you – your travel agent or tour operator should be able to recommend the best one for your particular needs.

A cheaper alternative when looking at Antigua hotels is to look into two star hotels. These are not absolute basic, bog standard places, but offer high quality rooms, with slightly less comfort and amenities than more expensive hotels. There are also many of these around Antigua, such as the Antigua Beachcomber Hotel and the Cortslands Hotel, situated in Coolige and St. John’s respectively. In fact, many travellers prefer these hotels to fancier, more upmarket ones, as they can let their hair down – many luxury hotels have a certain dress code and are generally more formal and demanding of their clients. Two Star hotels make no such requests, and can be a great place to meet other travellers and relax properly.

At the very cheapest end of the scale of Antigua hotels are the guest houses. These are few and far between in Antigua and vary somewhat in quality, especially ones that tend primarily for locals. However, if you look in the right places, you will be able to find cheap accommodation in simple, but clean surroundings. Often, you will find more character in these little guest houses than you could ever hope to see in one of the larger hotels. The Ocean Inn is one such low key and welcoming option.

Click here for further information on Antigua Hotels.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hotels-articles/antigua-hotels-on-a-budget-2959511.html

About the Author

For more information about booking rooms and availability for Antigua Hotels

Click Here to check for room availability.

A Brief introduction to Cancun

Author: Aniuddha Badola

Cancun Hotels

Cancun is a man-made tourist destination, which was designed from scratch with tourists in mind. Cancun is basically divided into two zones – Downtown and the Hotel Zone (this is an island shaped like the number ‘7’). This was done with the geography of Cancun in mind. The east side of the island is inundated with more waves than the northern side, which has the natural protection of Isla Mujeres. Some beaches are not accessible during high tide.

Cancun Hotel Zone

The Cancun Hotel Zone is where the prime hotels and resorts are located. It is an island with the open sea to one of its sides, the other has an inlet. There is only one road there and all the hotels are located on that road which is a 15 km stretch.

The Cancun Hotel Zone is a very touristy place. You actually see very less Mexico, and more of vacationers. There are huge hotels, exclusive and top notch designer shops, nightclubs, and restaurants, all a stone throw away from whichever hotel you are staying in.

During the last decade Cancun Mexico has had an overwhelming amount of vacationers and Cancun Hotels have been quick to encourage this trend by offering attractive packages. However, we would like to recommend two things here.

First is that Cancun is a recently created tourist area. It is not a dangerous place. So decide what you want. There is a lot of nightlife and many attractions in the town which a person who buys the AI or all inclusive Cancun Travel packages may just miss and stay cooped up in the hotel. The hotel itself will go out of way to surround you with luxury and make your Cancun Vacation as pleasant as it can.

Some of the popular hotels in the Cancun Hotel Zone:

The Ritz Carlton, Cancun
This hotel is designed like an 18 th century French Chateau, and is done up wonderfully with chandeliers and antiques. It is simply a luxurious feeling to step out of this world into the beach. This is the lap of luxury. The service is impeccable, even the beach towels are scented. It has 365 rooms with ocean views, a private beach and five restaurants. The pool, as expected is lovely. It even has a hot tub. It is excellent with staff that is very accommodating. The price is high, but is worth it.

Melia Turquesa Hotel: Great Place for the Money
For a medium range Cancun Hotel, it is beautiful and the staff is excellent. This is an all inclusive hotel with meals and everything paid for. There is everything, variety of food, plenty of sunshine and a beach to enjoy. They also have a baby sitting service.

Sun Palace All-Inclusive: Newly remodeled and beautiful
It is newly renovated, an all inclusive hotel with a great pool. They organize a lot of water sports, pool side parties and even stage fashion shows. The rooms have Jacuzzi. It is an upper end hotel, but as with all Cancun hotels, the service and facilities make the price worth it.

There are many more hotels. You will definitely find the one that suits your needs.

Author: Aniruddha Badola

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/vacation-rentals-articles/a-brief-introduction-to-cancun-979489.html

About the Author

All About Cancun Travel Information for Cancun Mexico. Our Cancun Vacations and hotels list provides lodging for every taste that will surely please the most demanding guests, many hotels feature all-inclusive plans others are boutique luxury hotels for everyone be either jungle tour, maya zip lines, Chichen Itza Tour to horseback riding on the beach.

Martinique Vacations – Exotic Locale with French Flair

Author: Scott Bateman

Most Caribbean destinations draw visitors either from a cruise or from people who come to stay a week or more. Martinique certainly attracts people for a long-term stay.

About five times as many people come for a stopover vacation than from a cruise. It is one of the highest levels of stopover to cruise visitors of any location in the Caribbean.

The attraction starts with some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, palm trees and hills made thickly green from the island’s substantial annual rainfall.

Anyone wanting a break from the sun and sand can take advantage of the island’s other attractions. Martinique has a lengthy history as a French territory and ties to Europe going all the way back to visits from Christopher Columbus.

Visitors may want to tour the architecture and history of the capitol city, Fort-De-France. They can see the statues and gardens of La Savane; the place where the famed artist Gauguin lived and painted in 1887; and St. Pierre, where a volcanic eruption of Mont Pelee killed 30,000 residents in 1902.

A good Martinique vacation requires planning with weather in mind. The island’s most popular months are January, February, March, April, July and December. The least popular months are September and October because they receive the worst weather of the annual Caribbean hurricane season.

All U.S. and Canadian citizens need a passport and proof of return ticket to enter Martinique. Cruise visitors need a ship ID to exit and re-enter the ship.

For more information:

Click Martinique vacation guide for travel tips, hotels, attractions and weather forecasts.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/martinique-vacations-exotic-locale-with-french-flair-1025967.html

About the Author

Scott Bateman is a professional journalist with 29 years of experience as a reporter and editor. He publishes a Caribbean vacation guide with articles produced from nine trips to the region.