Updates on the Island’s Stayover Arrivals, Research and New Developments

Basseterre, St. Kitts – As the leaves begin turning to herald the new season across North America, there’s no better time for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority to announce what’s new on island.  From stayover arrivals to new airport and cruise port research results as well as updates on new resort developments and the upcoming private jet terminal, below is the latest news from St. Kitts.

Visitor Arrivals:

Year-over-year arrivals as of mid-August show an increase in traffic of 14 % from the North American source market. There has been growth across the board from all key geographic markets, with exceptional strength demonstrated in the southeast and upper mid-west, where the re-alignment of  routes and schedules due to the mergers of Delta/Northwest and Continental/United have opened up new feeder markets.  Also, there has been increased weekend capacity on American Eagle via San Juan for the island’s traditional market strongholds in the tri-state area.

Research:

In June 2010, St. Kitts conducted the first of what have now become thrice-annual exit surveys in the departure lounge at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport.  The self-administered questionnaires are provided to leisure travelers only.  Key findings of the most recent wave of the airport survey, conducted in August 2011, results stayed in line with St. Kitts’ target visitor profile.  The mean age of visitors is in the 45-54 age range, remaining part of the trailing edge baby boomer category. The average pre-tax income of all respondents increased to US $140,000 from $128,000 as compared to the same period last year.  Additionally, 51% of the sample had an income of more than $100,000. Of that higher income group, the average income was $190,000 as compared to $171,000 in the comparable survey last year.  Further, the comparable average per-person, per-day spend was $173.00 vs. $160.00 one year ago. Overall visitor satisfaction remains high and over 90% indicated that they would recommend the destination to a friend.  Key findings of the most recent wave of the cruise survey, conducted in March and April of this year, provided important passenger information.  Nearly half of the respondents (49%) purchased a shore excursion from the ship while 50%, or fully half, explored the island on their own.  Among all respondents, shopping was the most frequently cited activity far and above all others at nearly 88%.  The average per-person, per-day spend for cruise passengers was $100.00.

New Resort Developments:

Christophe Harbour – Construction that began in August 2010 on the Beach Club at Sandy Bank Bay, now named The Pavilion, has been completed and a Grand Opening is planned for November 9, 2011.  The 9,400 square foot open-air venue will include a swimming pool, changing area and covered beach bar and grille.  The Beach Club’s architecture will have an open structure inspired by St. Kitts & Nevis defined by romantic pathway entrances, stone arches, fireplaces, private dining patios, natural-edged pools and waterfall showers. In addition to the pool and lounge areas, the Beach Club will provide direct access to Sandy Bank Bay beach and the Atlantic Ocean. Overlooking the water, the Beach Club will join the Beach House restaurant as another dining option at Christophe Harbour.  The Beach Club will be open Tuesday through Sunday year round and will serve light continental breakfast and lunch. The Beach Club at Sandy Bank Bay is expected to open in the first half of 2011.  In addition, dredging is well underway on the mega-yacht marina, which is expected to host its first vessels in 2013.  Christophe Harbour Development Company, Ltd (CHDC), led by Kiawah Development Partners (KDP), is the master developer for Christophe Harbour, a luxury resort development launching in 2012.  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 – Development continues at Kittitian Hill, with construction on the first cottage now complete and construction is well underway on 8 additional cottages plus the golf course.  Groundbreaking took place on November 6, 2010 and progress continues toward the scheduled Phase One A opening in December 2012, which includes 90 cottages, 24 villas and the 18-hole Ian Woosnam designed golf course.  Renowned architect Bill Bensley, who designed the Four Seasons tented camps at Chang Mai, has been added to the Kittitian Hill team and has refined the development’s master 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, centre for the creative arts, golf course and a destination spa featuring treatments indigenous to the island and the region. Sedona Resorts is signed on to offer development, operations and marketing services support to St. Kitts’ Kittitian Hill.  Sedona Resorts has developed and operated the award- winning Enchantment Resort, Mi Amo Spa, the Tides Inn, and a number of other highly acclaimed properties.  Kittitian Hill is a contemporary Caribbean community for sustainable luxury living founded on the principles of holistic development based on environmental and community responsibility.

Ocean’s Edge Resort – The launch of the Poolside Residences took place on July 28, 2011, marking the beginning of construction on Phase 3 development.  Construction is also underway on beachfront block 9, which will consist of 10 studio apartments, and construction on hillside block 17, which will be completed by November 2011and consists of two 2 bedroom apartments with spa pools.  Some completed villas have been handed over to owners and several Hillside and Beachfront apartments are being rented out through the property’s interim rental/management program. Ocean’s Edge is a resort development overlooking Frigate Bay that covers approximately 40 acres and is comprised of 381 properties including beachfront and hillside one- and two-bedroom apartments, many of which have individual plunge pools, and 37 luxury detached villas.  A variety of leisure and entertainment facilities are planned, including recreation centre, swimming pools, beach club with water sports and beachfront restaurant and two tennis courts. Completion is scheduled for winter 2013.

Silver Reef Resort – Phase One of construction on this luxury residential development, which began in April 2011 and consisted of thirty-six one- and two-bedroom apartments, is now complete and only 2 units remain unsold.  Phase Two is now underway and will consist of another 36 apartments.  The development’s tenancy program has nearly 100% occupancy and a list of vetted tenants waiting for apartments. Set in the Frigate Bay area of St. Kitts adjacent to the Royal St. Kitts Golf Course and 10 minutes outside capital city Basseterre, this US $30 million development will feature 62 villas and apartments in 1- and 2-bedroom configurations with spectacular views of both the Caribbean and Atlantic.  The property will also feature landscaped gardens and freeform, infinity-edge swimming pools.  Built eco-sensitively, it employs a combination of common sense principles like orienting the buildings to optimize the breeze and recycling grey water.  The resort will also use solar power and local building materials to minimize its carbon footprint.

NOTE: Each of the above four developments has been approved for St. Kitts’ Citizenship by Investment Program (Persons who make a minimum investment of US$350,000 in an approved project on island or a minimum contribution of US$200,000.00 into the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation will be entitled to apply for Citizenship in the Federation).

Private Jet Terminal:

Construction is scheduled to commence in November 2011 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.

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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