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Travel Agent told you earlier this week to expect some unusual deals and incentives during the Christmas season to combat with the struggling U.S economy. But we didn’t see this one coming. In what can be considered the best deal in years, Elite Island Resorts is offering guests $2,000 per room at The Verandah Resort and Spa in Antigua to offset the cost of airfare for the Christmas holiday through New Year’s Eve.
Steven H. Heydt, president of Elite Islands Resorts, told Travel Agent, “It may never happen again and we hope that it never happens again.” Heydt was referring to the lengths that companies like his are being forced to take during these trying economic times. “You got the election, you got everybody worrying about their 401Ks, so we’re basically saying, ‘Okay, you want to stop worrying? You want a great family vacation? Well, here you go,’ ” Heydt says.
As a bonus, children stay and eat for free. Resort nightly all-inclusive rates start at $318 per adult based on double occupancy. A minimum seven-night stay is required. The normal Christmas price before Elite made this offer was $635 a night plus $60 per child per night— so the room total was about $5,285 for seven nights. Guests were also paying more than $2,000 in airfare for their tickets. If this special did not exist, guests would have paid $7,285 plus any airfare differential over $2,000. Now, the total amount with the free children accommodations and the airfare credit comes to about $2,840 for seven nights.
Visit www.eliteislandvacations.com.