Tuesday, August 31, 2010

ST. KITTS OPEN FOR BUSINESS
FOLLOWING PASSAGE OF HURRICANE EARL

** Island Sees Minimal Effect from Storm and is Welcoming Guests **

Basseterre, St. Kitts – The St. Kitts Tourism Authority is pleased to report that St. Kitts is welcoming guests as normal, having sustained only minimal damage during the passage of Hurricane Earl well to the north of the island on Monday morning, August 30.

As St. Kitts was not directly hit by the storm, vacationing on the island was only temporarily impacted while the storm itself was passing.  Visitors are now all reported to be safe and returning to normal vacation experience activities.  Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport and the island’s Port Zante cruise pier were reopened early Tuesday morning and are conducting business as usual.  Some power lines were down during the storm, but power has since been restored to all areas of the island.  The storm brought the usual downed trees and road side debris, all of which is being cleared.  Beaches remain in good condition.  There has been no significant damage to hotels and all remain open for business.  One of St. Kitts’ leading restaurants, Marshall’s, experienced both wind and water damage and is expected to be closed for repairs temporarily. The owner told the Tourism Authority that he will take the opportunity to make significant improvements to the venue for the winter season.  

“We are fortunate that Hurricane Earl passed us so far to the north, as this was potentially a very dangerous storm,” said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of Tourism & International Transport.  “Following a thorough, island-wide assessment, I am pleased to report that all visitors are safe, the island’s tourism product remains well intact, and clean-up efforts are nearly complete in affected areas.  We are back to business as usual on island.”  

Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, St. Kitts offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history.  The island’s stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the island’s sugar plantations, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and the more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at one of St. Kitts’ two casinos or simply relaxing on one of the island’s sandy beaches.  Guests can select from accommodations ranging from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels or resorts. 

For more information about St. Kitts, please contact the St. Kitts Tourism Authority toll free from the US at 1-800-582-6208 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-582-6208      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or from Canada 1-888-395-4887 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-888-395-4887      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, e-mail info@stkittstourism.kn, visit www.stkittstourism.kn, or connect on Facebook, Twitter and/or YouTube.