ST JOHN'S, Antigua, CMC:

Some two months after the murder of a British honeymooning couple, the country's tourism sector is feeling the repercussions.

Forty per cent of the country's tourists are from the United Kingdom, making that country Antigua and Barbuda's biggest tourism market. However, initial figures have revealed that many British tourists have cancelled their vacation to the twin-island state since the incident.

"The news of the double homicide, as you know, was broadcast internationally so we've had to assess the damage in our various market places," Tourism Minister Harold Lovell said.

"The damage in the US market from the reports that I have received has been minimal. However, from the UK the damage is still a matter of great concern for us. In the short term, I've had reports from several of the properties who've reported that there have been cancellations to the cost of which is in excess of US$1 million and this is in the short term," he said.

Major hurdle

The tourism minister said the cancellations pose a major hurdle for the tourism sector and his ministry is now devising a strategy to rectify the problem.

"For the upcoming season out of the United Kingdom we are not at all encouraged by what we're hearing. As a result we have put in place a recovery plan. The office in the UK together with the local stakeholders and the PR (public relations) company that works for us in the UK have come up with recovery plan and part of that recovery plan would include meeting with the tour operators, the travel agents, the media and other travel partners in the business," Lovell said.

As part of that strategy, Lovell has left for London to meet with tour operators and other industry stakeholders.

"Part of my mission is to hold meetings with the travel partners to assure them and reassure them that Antigua continues to be a safe destination, and that we are looking forward to them encouraging persons to book Antigua," he said.