Bookings to Antigua and Barbuda are growing as Carnival 2025 approaches
Two weeks before the start of the celebrations, the Caribbean destination is seeing a sustained increase in travel demand and is strengthening its promotional activities in strategic markets in the region
SAN JUAN, ANTIGUA (July 12, 2025) – With the arrival of the 2025 Antigua Carnival, scheduled from July 25 to August 5 under the theme “Itz A Vibe ,” travel requests to Antigua and Barbuda are experiencing a significant upswing. The event will offer twelve days of non-stop festivities, marked by music, cultural traditions, and massive celebrations.
This year, the official calendar released by the Festival Commission includes landmark dates such as the 40th anniversary of the band Burning Flames, the 25-year career of Claudette “CP” Peters, and the 80th anniversary of Hell's Gate Steel Orchestra. Highlights include the T-shirt Masquerade (July 26), the special Burning Flames concert (July 30), the Annual Vigil Gathering and Caribbean Melting Pot (July 31), the Steelband Panorama competition (August 2), Party Monarch (August 3), and the traditional J'ouvert, Monday, and Tuesday of Carnival masquerades (August 4 and 5). The closing event will be the Last Lap parade on the evening of August 5.
Several airlines have responded to the increased demand. American Airlines added an additional flight from Miami from July 25 to 28. Caribbean Airlines, meanwhile, will operate special service from Toronto to Antigua on July 31. Regional airline LIAT 20 also launched a 25% discount on flights to Antigua, valid for bookings through August 4 on all its operating routes, with travel between July 13 and August 12, using the promotional code VIBE25 .
As part of its promotional strategy, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, in collaboration with LIAT 20, conducted a five-day tour of Trinidad and Tobago, the country's largest Caribbean source market. During the visit, the local team conducted activities such as media interviews, meetings with travel agencies at the Hyatt Regency, and consumer activations at the East Gates Shopping Center.
The delegation included Maria Blackman, Marketing Communications Manager; Alfonsina Olmos, Marketing Director; and Tito Thomas, Marketing Supervisor for LIAT 20. According to Blackman, the reception was extremely positive: “We saw a great deal of interest in both the Carnival and the destination in general. Many Trinidadians inquired about special accommodations and packages.”
The Tourism Authority, together with the Festivals Commission and the Airport Authority of Antigua and Barbuda, is ramping up preparations for a festive welcome, anticipating an increase in international arrivals in the coming weeks.