On Site: Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Announces Development Plans for Barbuda, New JetBlue Flights for Antigua

Antigua

NEW YORK CITY, New York -- Luxury Travel Advisor was among media who attended a Friday breakfast hosted by Gaston Browne, prime minister for Antigua and Barbuda, and learned of plans to build new hotels in Barbuda. We also learned of news that JetBlue Airways will launch new direct flights to Antigua in 2015 from New York City.

Although Browne did not offer further details, the JetBlue flight will be a nonstop, direct flight out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and will debut in May of next year.

As far as Barbuda goes, Browne told us that eight cruise ship calls will be made in Barbuda this year, the most it has ever received.

"We still need to improve the land-based infrastructure, but this is at least an indicator that the demand is definitely there," Browne says. 

He told us that there have already been about three or four hotel projects there that the tourism board has already signed off on. Plus, Browne says the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is looking into acquiring some smaller planes to be used as part of a smaller, local airport to possibility be built in Barbuda. He said he would like one small airport in Barbuda to go along with one small airport in Antigua and then offer shuttles between the two. 

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