/Chill out at the ‘Departure Beach’

VIRGIN Holidays has announced plans for an innovative new ‘Departure Beach’ so travellers can enjoy every last minute of their holiday.

The facility, in Barbados, will include a private air-conditioned lounge, premium bathroom and showering facilities, bar and restaurant and a Virgin Atlantic check-in, all on the beach.

Until now, hanging around at the airport on departure day has felt like the inevitable price for going on an exotic holiday – particularly as the majority of accommodation and cruise-ships in Barbados require customers to check out before midday.

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.

The Departure Beach is the first of its kind and can be booked by travellers at any time before they depart.

Guests will be picked up from their hotel after breakfast, while their luggage is taken straight to the airport.

They can check-in on the beach, pick up their boarding pass and relax until it’s time to transfer to the airport.

Nicki Goldsmith, head of Caribbean and worldwide Product at Virgin Holidays, commented: “Virgin Holidays has consistently launched ‘world-first’ concepts, and this latest innovation is no different. We believe that 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.”

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 pioneer such a revolutionary concept.

Virgin has multiple flights each week from Manchester Airport and daily flights from London Gatwick.

The beach is due to open next May.

For more information see virginholidays.co.uk/destinations/ caribbean/barbados-holidays/ departure-beach