Antigua and Barbuda Brings Island Warmth to Winter-Weary Toronto

While temperatures plunge well below freezing across much of Canada, the sights of sun, sea and sand from Antigua and Barbuda are providing a welcome escape for commuters in Toronto, Canada’s largest city.

As part of a targeted winter marketing push, Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism branding is currently featured on a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) streetcar, operating primarily along the busy Dundas and Bathurst corridors. These major routes carry an estimated 51,000 passengers daily and are viewed by thousands more motorists and pedestrians, offering the destination high visibility during peak winter travel planning season.

The streetcar activation forms part of a broader fall and winter marketing strategy across Canada, aimed at keeping Antigua and Barbuda top of mind among travellers seeking warm-weather escapes. The campaign also includes expanded promotional activity in other key Canadian cities such as Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Montreal, Quebec, utilizing a mix of out-of-home advertising and high-impact media placements.

Tameka Wharton, Director of Tourism for Canada at the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), said the campaign reflects a deliberate investment in the Canadian market.

“This campaign reflects a strategic investment in Canada, using high-impact placements to maintain strong year-round visibility for Antigua and Barbuda,” Wharton said. “By bringing a touch of island warmth to Toronto’s winter streets, we are reminding Canadians that paradise is just a short, direct flight away.”

The current streetcar display builds on a series of prominent executions rolled out in December, when Antigua and Barbuda was showcased across some of Toronto’s most recognizable locations. A large digital billboard overlooking the Gardiner Expressway near historic Exhibition Place encouraged commuters to book their sunny getaway, while massive 20-foot LED screens at Sankofa Square, formerly Yonge-Dundas Square, displayed vivid imagery of the destination’s beaches and natural landscapes.

Often described as the “Times Square of Canada,” Sankofa Square is one of the country’s most visited urban spaces, drawing thousands of visitors daily for shopping, entertainment and public events.

Together, these initiatives highlight the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s continued focus on thoughtful, high-visibility promotion, reinforcing the destination’s appeal in the Canadian market and ensuring sustained exposure to potential travellers throughout the year.