Most hotels and cruise ships turf you out by midday and if your flight is an evening one you could end up a just hanging around aimlessly turning your last day into a “lost day”.
But, perhaps the last days blues are a thing of the past for Virgin Holidays customers. The company has come up with plans for The Departure Beach – a beach facility in Barbados designed to maximise the last day abroad for holiday-makers.
It includes a private air-conditioned lounge, Wi-Fi, gaming areas, beach-friendly bar and restaurant, check-in facilities and a premium bathroom and shower area.
The Departure Beach by Virgin Holidays
The Departure Beach will be a Virgin branded area on pristine Brownes Beach in Barbados which the company says will “wring every last minute of pleasure from customer’s holidays.”
With many flights not departing until late in the evening, taking a dip in the Caribbean Sea or topping up the tan under the Bajan sun is preferable to just hanging around.
This “lost day” of holiday is expected to account for a total of 2.4 million hours of British holiday-makers time annually. As the average British long-haul holiday is 10 days – it equates to a solid 10% of holidays being spent awkwardly waiting in hotel lobbies, or dragging heavy luggage around city backstreets.
Instead you can check in on the beach, pick up your boarding pass then kick back with a rum punch, free lunch or a dip using complimentary towels and a plastic bag for anything wet.
When it’s time to leave, staff will pry you away and ensure you catch your flight.
Nicki Goldsmith, Head of Caribbean and Worldwide Product at Virgin Holidays, commented:
We can’t wait to launch this very exciting development next year, and hope our customers are as excited about it as we are.
Cheryl Carter of Barbados Tourism Marketing commented:
Virgin Holidays is the largest British tour operator to Barbados with daily Virgin Atlantic flights departing from London Gatwick and multiple flights each week from Manchester and London Heathrow. We’re thrilled that they’ve chosen Barbados to pioneer such a revolutionary concept – and as it’s situated on one of the most picturesque beaches on the island why would you choose to waste that last day of your holiday?
The Departure Beach, which is only available to Virgin Holiday customers, is due to open in May 2018. Entry is complimentary for any customers staying at Savannah Beach in Barbados or those on a Cruise that terminates in Barbados. Other customers can add The Departure Beach to their booking for an opening promotional price of £20 per adult and £15 per child.
For more information on Barbados, make sure you check out our dedicated destination page: www.thetravelmagazine.net/world/caribbean/barbados