Virgin Holidays unveils plans for The Departure Beach
Virgin Holidays has unveiled plans for The Departure Beach, a Virgin branded area on Brownes Beach in Barbados where customers can hang out after they’ve checked out of their accommodation.
It will have a private air-conditioned lounge, ‘premium’ bathroom and showering facilities, a beach-friendly bar and restaurant and a Virgin Atlantic check-in.
Building will start shortly, with the opening scheduled for May 2018.
Entry is complimentary for any customers staying at Savannah Beach in Barbados or 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.
"Until now, hanging around at the airport on departure day has felt like the inevitable price you pay for going on an exotic holiday – particularly as the majority of accommodation and cruise-ships in Barbados require customers to check out before midday," said Virgin.
"With many flights not returning until late in the evening it led to a ‘lost day’ of holiday with travellers killing time rather than taking a dip in the Caribbean Sea, topping up the tan to impress workmates, or sipping rum punch under the Bajan sky."
Virgin claimed the concept is the first of its kind worldwide for a tour operator.
Customers can add it to their booking any point prior to departure and will be picked up from their hotel after breakfast.
Their hold luggage will be taken away straight to the airport.
At the beach, they will be given complimentary beach towels, along with a plastic bag to put anything wet in and premium shower facilities.
They will then be able to relax at the beach, before showering for their airport transfer, which is included in the price of admission.
Nicki Goldsmith, head of Caribbean and Worldwide Product at Virgin Holidays, said: "We believe a holiday should be a pleasure from beginning to end and have been working hard to ensure we’ve removed as many pain-points as possible for our customers. We can’t wait to launch this very exciting development next year, and hope our customers are as excited about it as we are."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026