Tour operators hired for England-Windies series

St. John's (Antigua), March 4 (IANS) Seven British tour operators have been appointed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for England's tour of the Caribbean.

International Cricket Tours, Howzat Travel, Sports Tours Plus, Thomas Cook Tour Operators, Gullivers/Barmy Army, Independent Travel Experts and Living with the Lions Sports Travel have been licensed as exclusive commercial travel providers, the WICB said on Tuesday, reports CMC.

“We are happy to appoint a number of experienced companies as the official tour operators for the series to ensure fans can coordinate their travel arrangements and look forward to working with all of them to ensure that the series is a major success,” WICB commercial manager Nelecia Yeates said.

“We want to ensure all matches are sold out so we extend a warm, hospitable Caribbean invitation to our friends in the United Kingdom and around the world to come to the Caribbean and enjoy the cricket atmosphere like only we can provide.”

Yeates said the tour operators will offer attractive travel packages which include premium tickets for the series. She added that the operators will have the right to sell tickets only, since there will be no online ticket sales.

“Since the tour dates and venues were announced last year, there has been considerable interest in the series from fans in the United Kingdom. We recognise that there are many English and West Indian fans in the UK keen on visiting the Caribbean," said Yeates.

West Indies host England in three Tests to be staged at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, National Cricket Stadium in Grenada and the Kensington Oval in Barbados.