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| In a recorded presentation, BA's chief executive officer, Willie Walsh, expressed a desire to strengthen the carrier's relationship with the Caribbean. (Photo: airflights.to) | |
LONDON, England, November 11, 2009 - British Airways has reported a rise in the number of people who make early reservations for their holidays to the Caribbean next year.
The airline's corporate sales manager, Simon Brooks, said that when compared to the same period last year, the airline has seen a steep rise in early bookings.
Brooks declined to give details but he said there was reason to be positive.
"Compared to the same period of last year we are really pleased with the early bookings that are taking place," he said, speaking after the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO)'s European Marketing Forum this week.
"We are talking double digit growth as far as early bookings. We are reasonably optimistic in a very tough environment about the situation in the Caribbean next year."
In a recorded presentation, BA's chief executive officer, Willie Walsh, expressed a desire to strengthen the carrier's relationship with the Caribbean.
He also revealed that the holiday travel from the UK to the Caribbean remained strong.
"The leisure market, particularly the market between the Caribbean and the UK is a very strong market," Walsh told delegates, including Ministers and Directors of Tourism, as well as other Caribbean tourism decision makers from the public and private sectors.
"Leisure business from the UK has grown relatively strong and it's one of the reasons we've seen British Airways grow its presence in this market and we see further opportunities for expansion in the years ahead."
Sarah Smalley of research specialists GFK Ascent also put the value of agents into perspective. She said that her research of live bookings revealed that three-quarters of all Caribbean bookings come via agents.
She added that while the overall long haul market was down, the Caribbean had not performed as badly as the global market.
"Cuba and Jamaica have gained ground by attracting more family bookings," Smalley told the audience.
This year's Forum, which has as its theme, 'The Changing Market Environment - After the crunch. What Next?', provided a medium for industry debate at the most senior level on topics that are relevant to the Caribbean's tourism industry.
"This session of fresh thinking was hugely welcomed by our audience including ministers of tourism and commercial partners," said Hugh Reilly, the CTO's secretary general. "There is no doubt our markets are changing very fast and this insight from Europe is an extra resource which we can all benefit from."
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