Today, Carol Hay, Antigua and Barbuda's Director of Tourism for the UK & Europe, met with senior hotel partners to chart the way forward following the gun related incident on 27 July, 2008, that took the lives of British Citizens, Catherine and Benjamin Mullany. The High Commissioner, Dr. Carl Roberts, gave a welcoming address and thanked all partners for their ongoing commitment and support.

While there was general consensus that many media reports had presented a balanced perspective highlighting the arbitrary and isolated nature of this incident, a detailed plan is being presented to reassure the travel trade and the public that Antigua and Barbuda remains a desirable destination with a well deserved reputation for warm and friendly hospitality.

Additional meetings with airline and trade partners will take place this week and a "Moving Forward" plan and budget will be submitted to the Ministry shortly with a clearly defined strategy, tactics and recommendations.

Comments Carol Hay:
"Today's meeting was a great step forward with overwhelming support from our trade partners; it is clear we need to address visitor confidence to our Islands and reassure the British public that Antigua and Barbuda is deserving of its long held popularity. We are optimistic that with unified support our Moving Forward action plan will serve to instill reassurance and confidence."