MAR 20

More than 500 cricket loving visitors from England will be arriving in Grenada during March and April in what promises to be the island's best year yet for Sports Tourism. This initiative involves over half a dozen leading UK Tour Operators, including Virgin Holidays, and nine different Hotels in Grenada.

It is the result of the long established partnership between the Grenada Board of Tourism (GBT) and UK-based sports promotion company Grenada Sports Limited (GSL), the brainchild of former UK Test cricketer Allan Lamb and county cricketer Nigel Felton.

The visitors are keen fans coming to enjoy the Virgin Holidays, Cable & Wireless Grenada Cricket Classics at the end of March and the One Day Internationals at the end of April, and a growing number of School Groups coming to utilise the training facilities on offer in the Spice Isle. A release from the organisers say that further bookings are already confirmed for more schools throughout the summer and into November.

This month, the first, and largest group to arrive are spectators for the Virgin Holidays, Cable & Wireless Grenada Cricket Classics matches to be played in the National Stadium on March 26 and 27.

Visitors will have the chance to enjoy the best of Grenadian hospitality in a week of sight-seeing, tours and parties before their two days of classic cricket in the National Stadium. Some of the greatest names from the recent past of West Indies and England Test Match history will be taking to the pitch again in the Classics matches.

The event is scheduled to slot in between the second and third matches of the West Indies versus England Test Series, and has been created to provide a further attraction in Grenada for visiting fans who will be in the region, plus giving local cricket lovers an opportunity to see more action.

There will be classic coverage throughout the event from Grenada Broadcasting Network, the Official Festival Broadcaster, and further classic support provided by the Grenada Board of Tourism, Caribbean Star Airlines and The Rex Grenadian. Tickets are EC$20.00 per match and children under 16 are free.

Tickets are on sale at the National Stadium, the Classics Event Office at Grenada Grand Beach Resort. Persons can also call 439 4088 for details of other outlets.

The event is also being made possible with the help of Classics Companions Clarke's Court Old Grog, Coca Cola & Dasani Water, de La Grenade, Colombian Emeralds, MNIB, Bryden & Minors, The Aquarium, True Blue Bay Resort, Indigo Car Rentals, Brown Sugar, Deyna's Tasty Foods, Jefferson's at The Calabash Hotel and Sunset View at Grand Mal.