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The first phase – consisting of 90 cottages is to be opened in December
of 2012.
“With regard to the residences and the hotel I am very impressed with
what already has been achieved in the construction and the planned
construction,” said Prime Minister Douglas following a visit to the
construction site last Thursday.
“What is very impressive is the architectural design. The designer is
one the world’s most sought after architect for resorts and I am very
very impressed with what I have seen,” he said.
On the golf course under construction, Dr. Douglas, the Parliamentary
Representative for the area, said during a visit six months ago, quite a
bit of the earth works were being done on the golf course and it was
taking shape.
“Today I think we can say with certainty that it has taken faith quite a
bit of work that is now left to be done is really finalizing the
preparation for the grassing and ensuring that the fairways etc are
properly outlined
“I understand as well that the irrigation system needs to be put in and
then will begin to I believe say grassing. I had the opportunity as well
to visit the driving range. I have never seen anything like this before
in terms of the paranomic views that it presents to the ocean beyond us
and the offshore islands as well. I believe that is going to be one of
the most impressive world-class golf courses in the Caribbean region and
I am longing myself to have my first game of golf here at Kittitian
Hill,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
Belmont Resort said Thursday that 35 cottages and 2 villas are in
various stages of completion. The 18-hole Woosman-designed golf course
is fifty percent completed and the driving range is 80 percent
completed.
The new information on the number of cottages and villas under
construction corrects CUOPM News Release 052/2012 dated January 24th
2012 which stated that 41-one bedroom, cottages were completed.
The information was based on a press release dated January 23rd
2012 issued by Adams Unlimited, the New York-based Public Relations firm
on behalf of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority in which it sought to
update the media on the tourism-related developments in St. Kitts.
CUOPM apologises for the incorrect information in that release and
produces below the Adams Unlimited news release in its entirety:
MEDIA CONTACT:
Cathy A. Preece / Candice Adams-Kimmel
Adams Unlimited
(212) 956-5900
cathy@adams-pr.com
For Immediate Release
St. Kitts Tourism Updates
What’s New and
Noteworthy on Island
Basseterre, St. Kitts
(January 23, 2012) –
The St. Kitts Tourism
Authority today announces the most recent tourism-related news, events,
deals and developments from the island, as follows-
Visitor Arrivals:
Year-to-date December 31,
2011 arrivals show an increase in traffic of 10.7% from the North
American source market as compared to YTD December 2010. Until
the commencement of the Air Canada non-stop service from Toronto on Dec.
23, 2011, Canadian traffic flowed over US gateways; thus it is a North
American count and not a US count. There has been across the board
growth from all markets, with exceptional strength demonstrated in the
Miami, FL and Charlotte, NC gateways and an uptick in arrivals from the
upper mid-west due to new feeder market access resulting from the
Delta/Northwest merger.
Airport
Developments:
Private Jet Terminal –
Groundbreaking is scheduled for February 3, 2012,
marking the start of construction on this new world-class facility at
St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. Completion
is scheduled for October 2012. The private jet terminal will be
located west of the main airport parking apron. It will consist of
world class arrival and departure lounges, a business center, and
related offices and processing facilities, as well as an elegantly
landscaped courtyard and events center. The first phase of the
development will feature the main tropical-styled and environmentally
friendly terminal, valued at approximately US$6 million, with the total
cost of the final project estimated at US$ 15 million. The terminal will
be constructed and operated by Veling Limited with full ownership to be
transferred to The St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA)
at the end of the concession contract period. Veling Limited is a
global aviation solution provider based in Mauritius and London,
England. The architect and interior decorator for the new terminal
is internationally acclaimed Bobby Mukherji & Associates, recognized as
one of India’s top ten design firms.
New Airport Processing
System – In
December 2011, St. Kitts introduced a new passenger processing system at
Robert l. Bradshaw International Airport aimed at reducing hassle and
improving the visitor experience, making the process of entering the
country as comfortable and world-class as possible without compromising
security and border requirements. The new system mirrors one that
is used in the US, with arriving passengers receiving a primary and, if
necessary, secondary inspection after going through immigration.
Open Skies Agreement with the US –
On Tuesday, December 13, 2011, St. Kitts & Nevis became the first
country in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to sign
an Open Skies Agreement with the United States. The Federation is
the 104th Open Skies partner of the US. An Open Skies
Agreement is an international policy concept which calls for the
liberalization of rules and regulations on the international aviation
industry – thus opening a free market for the airline industry. Its
primary objectives are to liberalize the rules for international
aviation markets by removing unnecessary barriers and minimizing
government intervention, making it as easy as possible for all air
transport to self-initiate links to and from St. Kitts
from all key source markets. A similar agreement is already in place
with the UK.
The agreement helps to establish rules to facilitate growth of an
efficient, market-based aviation system, enhancing potential for
business, investment, exports and tourism; and the strengthening of
bilateral ties with the USA. Three US carriers – American Airlines, US
Airways and Delta Airlines -- operate scheduled service into St Kitts’
Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport.
New Attraction:
Located on picturesque South Friar’s Bay beach, the Carambola Beach
Club is now open for lunch and dinner daily (reservations required).
Holding a soft opening on December 3, 2011 with a Grand Opening
scheduled for January 2012, it offers modern European cuisine with
Caribbean influences created by Chef Dean Butler and Pastry Chef Cameron
Steele, both formerly of Sandy Lane in Barbados. With a seating
capacity of 180 people for in- and outdoor dining, one of Carambola’s
defining features is its 4,000 bottle wine cellar with select vintages
from nearly every wine-growing region in the world. Music from a
Baby Grand piano provides elegant background music for diners. The
palm-lined entrance leads guests to the interior, with its teak walls
and rustic-elegant décor. A tapas menu will launch in December
2011, followed by a sushi/oyster bar. Plans are also in place to
offer beach beds with butler service, a dedicated massage area with
professional masseuse, snorkeling and various watersports.
New Event:
On March 30 and 31, 2012, the famous
1782 Great Siege of Brimstone Hill will be re-enacted
for public viewing by the British Soldiers Fund. The battle will
be re-enacted twice daily by the US-based reenactors at 11:00am and
2:00pm each day for a total of four times. Besides being fun for
reenactors staged battles are often even more interesting for viewers
since the battle is crafted for optimal dramatic effect. The
reenactors will be dressed in full period regalia and use real weaponry,
including authentic muskets, bayonets and cannons. The French
forces attacked St. Kitts with 8,000 soldiers and 31 warships, forcing
local militia to retreat to British Hill Fortress where with the
garrison (altogether numbering less than 1,000) held out for four weeks
of heavy artillery fire before they surrendered. The British
soldiers Fund is a charitable organization that is dedicated to
providing lifetime aid and support for British allied soldiers and their
families. Admission to Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park
during these two days will be $8 per person. On January 5, 2012,
Brimstone Hill Fortress was named one of “10 Great Places To Explore The
World's Best-Kept Secrets” by USA Today. It is the only
Caribbean attraction to be named to this list by the authors of the news
article, who state, "It's the most impressive of all the British forts
I've seen in the Caribbean."
New Trade Program:
Working in conjunction with Travel Agent
University, St Kitts debuted the St. Kitts Agent Destination Specialist
program on January 9, 2012. The program is designed to provide
travel agents with a thorough understanding of St Kitts’ top selling
features and booking basics as well as an ongoing dialogue with the St.
Kitts Tourism Authority. Agents who complete the program will be more
knowledgeable about the destination, therefore they will be better able
to sell it to their clients and make successful bookings. Plus,
graduating agents will enjoy exclusive benefits including: Additional
incentives such as free stays for bookings made; Destination
Specialist special phone access; exclusive E-mail–First to learn about
specials; Preferred Agent listing on
the St. Kitts website; a VIP Fam Trip; customer referrals; and 2 CEU's
from The Travel Institute (TTI) (USA) or 1 credit from Canadian
Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC). St. Kitts has built a
dedicated online training program for the travel professional community
through Travel Agent University,
http://www.tauniv.com. Travel Agent University holds a user database
of over 60,000 travel agent registrants who are active in their field.
New Resort Developments:
Christophe Harbour
– Work is well underway on the mega-yacht marina, which has mooring
capacity for seven super yachts and will welcome its first boats by
February 2012. Christophe Harbour Development Company, Ltd
(CHDC), led by Kiawah Development Partners (KDP), is the master
developer for Christophe Harbour, a luxury resort development currently
underway. Located on 2,500+ acres of the southeastern peninsula of
St. Kitts, plans include a mega-yacht harbor, marina, Tom Fazio
championship golf course and an impressive collection of restaurants,
shops, boutiques, five-star hotels, oceanfront and hillside homesites
and villas.
Kittitian Hill
– Groundbreaking took place on November 6, 2010 and development
continues at Kittitian Hill, with construction underway on the 90-room
cottage hotel and Ian Woosnam designed golf course. Currently,
40 one bedroom cottages are completed as well as holes #1, #10 and #18
of the golf course. Phase One A opening, which includes
the cottage hotel and golf course, is scheduled for December 2012.
The Hotel Terrace Complex with main swimming pool and restaurants, the
tennis courts and several villas will also be complete in the first
phase. Construction of Phase 1B is scheduled to begin in 2013,
which comprises the spa, fine dining restaurant, golf clubhouse, the
artist village and more villas. Renowned architect Bill Bensley,
who designed the Four Seasons tented camps at Chang Mai, has been added
to the Kittitian Hill team and refined the development plan. Set
on a stunning 400-acre hillside site in the
Northern part of St. Kitts,
Kittitian Hill will consist of a cottage style hotel, creative arts
centre, golf course and destination spa featuring
indigenous
treatments. Sedona Resorts (known
for the award-winning Enchantment Resort, Mi Amo Spa and more) is signed
on to provide development, operations and marketing services support to
Kittitian Hill. Kittitian Hill is
a
contemporary Caribbean community for sustainable luxury living founded
on the principles of holistic development based on environmental and
community responsibility. Most recently, Kittitian Hill
has been added to the
Preferred Residences® exchange network,
a hospitality branded membership and
exchange program for luxury shared ownership resorts offered by an
operating business of Interval Leisure Group.
NOTE: The above developments have
been approved for St. Kitts’ Citizenship by Investment Program
Frigate Bay -
The 64-room landmark property will
undergo a full renovation and updating starting in May, 2012.
Plans call for the creation of a stylish boutique hotel to add to the
island’s growing hotel product by mid-2013. The architectural surveys
have been completed and the plans are being finalized this month.
Concurrently, the design team is working on room layout and the color
scheme with renderings and boards coming in early 2012. The hotel will
remain open for business during the current peak season
rather than begin an extensive renovation at
the start of St. Kitts’ busiest travel period. Enhancements to the
public areas include upgrades of the exterior walls, new steps from the
middle level to the top level of the resort, and more tropical
landscaping to open up the vistas to the pool and the sea beyond and
give the property a more spacious feel. The conference room and
front desk area will be upgraded and boast a modern look and clean
simple lines. Rooms will be outfitted with new balcony rails,
windows, doors and sliding glass doors, new kitchens, bathroom tiles and
new air conditioning units. New bedding, window treatments and
upholstery in a soft Caribbean color palate will give the rooms a
casual, contemporary feel. Handling the renovations are architectural
firm Elmes & Associates and contractors are Moorjani Ltd, both based in
St. Kitts.
Sustainable Tourism:
St. Kitts’ commitment to environmental sustainability continues, with
two new developments in the fourth quarter of 2011. First, the
area of St. Mary’s has been named a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO,
with the certificate of declaration presented to St. Kitts & Nevis at
the 36th Session of the UNESCO General Conference in November
2011. According to UNESCO, it is an area of terrestrial and
coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of
biodiversity with its sustainable use. Home to sea turtle nesting
and other indigenous plants and wildlife, the area will now be protected
and preserved. Second, a project to install solar panels to provide
electricity to Government headquarters on St. Kitts was completed in
December 2011 as part of the Government’s objective to achieve a
minimum 60% of its energy generation from the use of renewable energy
sources by 2015. The 66 newly activated solar panels will produce
100 kilowatts of energy daily per five hours of constant sunshine so the
Headquarters is now partially powered by solar energy. Due to the
limited roof space, this project is meant to be a demonstration.
To help raise funds to build their Sea Turtle Interpretive Center,
the St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network (SKSTMN) is putting together
a team to participate in the 10th Annual StarMile2.5
Nevis-St. Kitts Cross Channel Swim. This year’s open water
swim is taking place on March 25, 2012. Originating on Oualie
Beach on Nevis at 8:00am, swimmers compete to cross the 2.5 mile channel
to finish at Cockleshell Beach on St. Kitts. Slower or less
proficient swimmers may use fins and/or a snorkel mask. Entry fee
is $50 and covers participation, rescue boats and kayaks, prizes and a
post-swim breakfast party on St. Kitts as well as boat transportation
from St. Kitts to Nevis before or after the swim. The SKSTMN is a
community-based non-profit organization founded in January 2003 which
monitors endangered nesting sea turtle populations & acts as an advocate
for the strengthening of sea turtle protection laws. The
Interpretative Center would act as a centralized base for SKSTMN’s
operations, serving as an orientation center for tours and field trips,
research station, gift shop and craft showcase. The project will cost an
estimated $75,000 to complete. The SKSTMN has recently been named the
recipient of a grant, along with two other projects in San Salvador
(in the Bahamas) and Grenada, from CIBC First Caribbean Bank through
a partnership with Seacology. The grant provides $63,000 to
these three organizations over a three year period. Seacology is
the only Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in the world whose sole
focus is preserving island ecosystems and these are its first Caribbean
projects.
Seasonal Island-Wide Special Offers:
“Feel the Warmth in St. Kitts &
Nevis” - This
destination-wide added value program is ideal for winter escapes.
It includes 7 nights for the price of 6 (about 15% savings) or
6 nights for 4 or 5 (up to 33% savings) at participating hotels and
either complimentary Continental breakfast daily, Food & Beverage credit
or other inclusion; reduced airfares on flights booked in
conjunction with a stay at a participating hotel via American Airlines’
AA Vacations, Delta Vacations or US Airways Vacations; a special
discount card for savings at various island shops, in restaurants, on
tours and more. The “Feel the Warmth of St. Kitts & Nevis offer is
valid on new bookings made now through April 2, 2012 for
travel between January 2, 2012 and April 8, 2013.
In Case You Missed It:
Air Canada
- On July 14, 2011, St. Kitts & Nevis officially joined the Air
Canada Vacations program and on
Friday, Dec. 23, Air Canada landed at the Robert Bradshaw International
Airport for its inaugural flight to the Federation.
One hundred twenty passengers and crew were carried on the flight, with
the next two flights also booked to capacity. The weekly non-stop flight
operates from Toronto on Fridays. It is the island’s only non-stop
commercial flight from Canada, effectively making St. Kitts and its
sister island, Nevis, a more viable winter destination choice for
travelers from this key North American market. Air Canada flight AC1778
departs Toronto (YYZ) at 8:40 a.m. and arrives into St. Kitts’ Robert L.
Bradshaw International Airport at 2:40 p.m. on Fridays. The
same-day return flight AC1779 departs St. Kitts at 3:40 p.m. and arrives
into Toronto at 8:00 p.m. Air Canada is using an Airbus 319
aircraft with 108 Economy Class and 12 Business Class seats for this
flight.
Allure of the Seas –
On December 30, 2011 at 8:00 am, the
world’s largest cruise ship, Allure of the Seas, docked in St. Kitts on
its inaugural call to Port Zante. Royal Caribbean’s 225,282-ton,
5,400-passenger vessel was welcomed in grand style, with roads in
down-town Basseterre closed to vehicular traffic to allow for cultural
dance presentations by local folklore groups. St. Kitts’ cruise
passenger arrival numbers have increased steadily over the past four
years and a 5th consecutive
year of arrivals growth in the
cruise sector is projected. Cruise visitor arrivals to St.
Kitts are expected to increase by more than 20 percent in the upcoming
October 2011 - September 2012 cruise season. Based on berthing bookings
so far, the island has projected that more than 650,000 cruise
passengers will arrive to St. Kitts by September 2012. Royal
Caribbean-owned ships are currently scheduled to make a total of 42 port
calls to St Kitts in the 2011-2012 season, up from 20 calls in the
2010-2011 season. For 2011/2012 cruise ship season, St. Kitts
will see inaugural calls from 11 new vessels (including those on a
one-time call or schedule): Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, Jewel
of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas; Carnival Valor, Celebrity
Silhouette, Mein Schiff 2, Saga Ruby, Seabourn Quest, Cunard’s Queen
Elizabeth and Costa Cruises’ Thomson Dream.
St. Kitts was named
one of the “Top 12 Spots that should be on
your list for 2012” by Caribbean Travel + Life magazine
and the island’s Brimstone Hill Fortress was
named one of “10 Great Places To Explore The World's Best-Kept Secrets”
by USA Today. As of summer 2011, the destination also
ranks #1 on a list of the 16
Best Caribbean Vacations by
US News & World Report. Last year, St. Kitts was named a top
destination for 2011 by both
AOL Travel and
British Airways.
Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, it
offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination’s
natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. The island’s
stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the
tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the
island’s former sugar plantations, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory,
touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO
World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and more traditional
vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet
dining, gaming at St. Kitts’ exclusive casino or simply relaxing on one
of the island’s sandy beaches. Accommodations range from intimate
plantation inns to larger hotels and resorts.
For more information about St. Kitts,
please contact the St. Kitts Tourism Authority toll free from the US at
1-800-582-6208 or from Canada 1-888-395-4887, e-mail
info@stkittstourism.kn, visit
www.stkittstourism.kn, or
connect on
Facebook,
Twitter
and/or
YouTube.
# # #
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New York, NY, 10004. Thank you
For more information visit the Communication's Unit of the Office of the
Prime Minister Website at
www.cuopm.org or
www.cuopm.com or contact
Erasmus Williams
Press Secretary to the Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
Government Headquarters
Church Street
Basseterre
St. Kitts
TeL: 869-465-9698
Fax: 869-466-9997
Cell: 869-665-8422
Email:
sknpmpresssec@hotmail.com
erasmuswilliams2000@yahoo.co.uk
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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, FEBRUARY
2ND 2012 (CUOPM)