Antigua & Barbuda showcased at Canadian travel industry golf tournament

Canadians got a sample of Antigua & Barbuda’s Carnival and food at the annual Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) golf tournament on July 13 at the Royal Ontario Golf Club in Milton.

DJ Gravity (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Models in colourful costumes joined one of the island’s top deejays, Gravity, and multi-genre entertainer Drastic who entertained golfers and other attendees during the daylong activity in the Greater Toronto Area.

Antiguan entertainer Drastic with models Tatianna Durdle (l) & Wanyaryn Wollard (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Adding special flavor to the activities was Chef Giovanni Meyer who served up authentic and delicious Antiguan dishes, including bakes (Johnny Cakes) and Goat Water.

“The goat water is not too spicy as some people cannot handle the heat,” he noted.

Meyer attended the Antigua & Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute and the Culinary Institute of America in New York.

“I knew what I wanted to do since I was age 11,” he said. “I come from a family of cooks and it was inevitable I would go this route.”

ABTA Toronto Business Development Manager Rommel Waterman with models Tatianna Durdle (l) & Wanyaryn Wollard (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Curry chicken is Meyer’s favourite dish.

“My dad cooks it very well and it is very nostalgic for me,” he said. “I could eat it every day.”

Chef Giovanni Meyer (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

The Chef relocated from New York after graduation to Ontario in 2015.

He and his wife reside in Milton.

“It is a little bit slower that New York which I like,” added Meyer who is a private Chef.

Antiguan-born Canadian professional golfer Amaya Athill joined the travel industry professionals for the fun day on the links.

Amaya Athill (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

“I am a proud product of the golfing community in Antigua and pleased to represent my island in the golfing space in Canada,” said the lawyer. “It is an honour to have been invited by the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority to support them in their mission to showcase all that Antigua and Barbuda has to offer to the travelling community.”

This was the second-year that the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) was the major destination sponsor for the ACTA event.

“We are happy to be part of anything that supports the travel agent community that is responsible for nearly 60 per cent of the visitorship to our island,” said Tameka Wharton, the ABTA Sales & Tourism Manager in Toronto. “We have been part of ACTA for several years before deciding to take the collaboration a step further and be more proactive.”

Giselle Bishop of Pan Fantasy entertained the golfers and guests (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

At the conjecture of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Antigua & Barbuda has 365 beaches.

“Yes, we have that and are very proud of it,” Wharton said. “But our tagline is ‘The Beach is Just the Beginning’. There is so much more to offer. We have a campaign right now, titled ‘Why Choose when you have Both’. There is Barbuda that has secluded pink and white sand beaches, caves and a bird sanctuary.”

Tameka Wharton (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Just 30 miles north of Antigua, Wharton said Barbuda is a gem.

“If you want to have a peaceful time and just relax, that’s the place for you,” she added. “For those with an interest in ecotourism, that is the destination you may want to consider.”

Actor Robert De Niro owns a beach inn and restaurant on the island of Barbuda which he first visited in 1990.

The late Princess Diana often vacationed on the island.

ABTA Toronto staff with entertainers (Photo by Ron Fanfair)