The members of the Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association have come together to create a Tourism Development Fund. Proceeds from this fund will be spent on improving our tourism product, keeping our beaches safe and clean, improving our historical sites, better signage around the island, overall enhancing the visitor experience. Funds will also be used to help develop our young people, providing training opportunities and scholarships to guide them into the industry which is the life blood of our island’s economy, helping to make tourism a career of choice.
How does it work? A “Dollar-a-Day” will be added to the guest’s account for each day that is spent at participating properties. This is a totally voluntary contribution and if the guest should  choose to decline the charge will be immediately removed from the guest bill.
To date eight hotels are regularly contributing to the fund and in three years over EC$500.000 have been collected. The funds have been used on various projects details of which are listed below.

Scholarships


The fund has allowed a number of young Antiguans to pursue Associate degree courses in Hospitality Management or Resort Management at the Antigua Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute. For this current academic year 2013-2014, nine students are on full scholarships at the Institute.

Educational Projects

Tourism Product Development

Beach Signs

The AHTA Tourism Development Fund in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism has financed the installation of six beach signs with another three on the way. During 2014 signs were installed at Half Moon Bay, Old Runaway Beach, Long Bay, Hawksbill and 2 signs at Jabberwock. Three more signs will soon be erected at Valley Church Beach, Galleon Beach and Morris Bay.

Signage for the Christian Valley Birding Trail.

The AHTA assisted the Environmental Awaremess Group (EAG) in providing signage for the Christian Valley Birding Trail

Directional Road Signs

The AHTA Tourism Development Fund is working with SignCom to replace the faded green directional road signs around the island. To date around twenty signs have been replaced and the project will continue over the next year. The new signs are using a specialized reflective covering to make them more visible at night.

Participating Hotels
Blue Waters
Buccaneer Beach
Catamaran Hotel
Curtain Bluff
Galley Bay
Hermitage Bay
Jumby Bay
Siboney Beach Club
Sugar Ridge