Business View Caribbean | December 2020

33 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN DECEMBER 2020 BLUE WATERS RESORT & SPA that they’re staying in a smaller hotel, because it’s never particularly crowded. And yet there is no shortage of amenities: 11 swimming pools, three beaches, and four restaurants (Bartley’s, the Cove Restaurant, the Pelican Bar, the Palm Restaurant, and Carolyn’s on the beach for lighter ‘salad’ fare). While the beaches are not the biggest, they are indeed “pristine and perfect”. Kevin Phillips, General Manager of Blue Waters Resort & Spa for the last two years, shares, “Blue Waters, being family owned, lends itself to a place where right away you feel relaxed. You’re not walking into that corporate hotel entity that is very robotic-style in their service. Here, there is a natural warmth, a natural friendliness. And as you exit your taxi and you walk into our lobby, you have unobstructed views of the Caribbean Ocean right in front of you. And the amazing “blue waters” which is why you’re here. You’re made to feel welcome right away; nothing is put on; there is no showmanship going on. That’s one of the great strengths of the resort. Guests often remark that it usually takes them a day or two to get relaxed when they travel to a place. But here, right out of the taxi they feel a sense of calming down, so that’s a good thing.” Previously marketed primarily to U.K. tourists, Blue Waters Resort & Spa has significantly shifted focus over the last three or four years to increase the percentage of U.S. business. In that regard, the resort’s marketing partner, Karen Bull, has contributed to Blue Waters’ success through representation stateside. While statistics show that 40 percent of Antigua’s overall tourist business comes from the U.S. and 20 percent from the U.K., at Blue Waters the majority of guests have historically been U.K. visitors. But the resort’s marketing efforts in the U.S. have certainly seen an uptick in those visitors (pre- COVID-19). According to Phillips, “A lot of our marketing is through intermediaries; tour operators and travel agents that are selling us. We promote ourselves as conveniently located close to the