Antigua and Barbuda's strategic location has leveled it for yet another major advance in tourism.

The country has been commissioned as a base for a scientific research on Clouds conducted by RICO.

According to Dr. Robert Rauber, Chief Scientist of RICO, the main goal is to study Trade Wind clouds and develop a scientific understanding of these clouds and their precipitation processes, so that an improvement can be made on global climate simulations.

“Antigua is ideally suited to study clouds over the tropical Atlantic. From a scientific viewpoint, there are no other islands east of Antigua, so the clouds to the east represent the broad field of unpolluted clouds. Barbuda as well is perfect, since it again has no islands to the east and has the topography required for weather radar operations”, Dr. Rauber stated.

“In all practicality, Antigua was chosen as well, based on its exceptional range of accommodation, restaurant facilities, and an airport with a long runway. English is the native language and Antigua is a peaceful and secure country,” he concluded.

Of course, with scientists representing over 20 US and British universities as well as private companies on island conducting such a research, Antigua’s economy stands to benefit tremendously.

Over the coming years, RICO will be discussed in many scientific meetings and writings in the popular press. Antigua and Barbuda will be featured prominently in these discussions and articles.

“Hopefully, the people who hear about the islands will decide to visit and enjoy tropical location as the RICO scientists plan to do. No doubt many of the project participants and their friends and colleagues will be encouraged to visit the islands as tourists in the future.” Dr. Rauber re-established.

While on island, the RICO team had the opportunity to stay in some of the island’s hotels, The Grande Royal Antigua Resort, Jolly Harbour Villas, Dickenson Bay Cottages, and the Beachcomber Hotel.

The Meteorological office was greatly involved in this exercise as well. Collaborations were done in terms of the sharing of expertise. The weather data used routinely here in Antigua will be used by the scientists.

Most projects such as RICO open up new avenues of scientific investigation that ultimately drive science in new directions. It is also possible that the Rico experience on Antigua will lead other scientists to use Antigua as a base for their work in the tropics. The results may in the future improve regional weather and climate prediction.

According to Derede Samuel-Whitlock, Director of Tourism for the USA, this is an instance where Antigua and Barbuda’s strategic location is brought to the forefront, to attract not only vacationing tourists to our shores but scientists doing research.

“We hope that this type of non-traditional exposure and international media attention will launch us into the spotlight as an island that has consistent predictable weather that will not only attract tourists, but, in this instance make us ideal as a laboratory for major research on climatic conditions,” she further stressed.

The RICO research is funded primarily by the United States National Science Foundation.