The Caribbean’s “Last Frontier”

Own Your Own Slice of Paradise -- World-Class Property -- for 1/3 What You’d Pay in the Virgin Islands

Fine, sandy beaches… clear, turquoise waters… breathtaking mountain vistas… easy, safe, comfortable living… English-speaking neighbors… and an extraordinary profit opportunity...

Bay Islands, Honduras Expedition
November 29-December 6, 2008

Dear Fellow Traveler,

The Region’s Next “It” Spot

“On this sleepy island off the coast of Honduras, the main tourist drag is a sand road lined with coconut trees and hand-painted signs touting $2 beers… Restaurants with thatched roofs are cooled by ceiling fans, and a seafood dinner can be had for $10 -- about the cost of a single cocktail in pricier parts of the Caribbean.

“This quaint vibe may soon change. Though most Americans have never heard of Roatán, the place is well on its way to becoming the region's next "it" spot. Cruise companies, airlines and foreign real-estate investors are moving in, bringing new construction projects -- and potentially hundreds of thousands of tourists -- with them.”

– Wall Street Journal

You look out from your pool-side patio, where hibiscus and plumeria cascade in a medley of lavender and pink. Your eye alights on a distant sailboat, floating in a glass-calm turquoise sea.

A gentle, salty breeze drifts past as you prop your feet up and take a sip of the cocktail your maid just mixed, ice clinking in the glass. It’s your own tropical paradise...

Maybe it seems like a dream… but this pampered life is real. And the thing is: You can enjoy it for a small fraction of what you’d pay to live back home.

If you’ve ever longed for a sun-splashed island escape, a place where you can live or retire comfortably and affordably...

Or if you’re trolling for a safe place outside the stock market to grow and safeguard your retirement nest egg, a smart way to hedge against an uncertain market at home...

Then you should know about a sand-ringed potpourri of islands tucked into the Western Caribbean… a destination you’ve probably never even heard of… where property prices are a fraction of what you’ll pay elsewhere in the region.

Of course, I should explain… they aren’t likely to stay that way.

And that’s why it’s important to get a foothold now, while the good-value deals are still on offer and properties continue to appreciate handsomely.

Beating Even Buffet: 29% Annualized Returns in Roatan

John and his wife, Ann, joined me in Roatan two-and-a-half years ago. Today, their vacation-cum-investment expedition has paid off handsomely. To the tune of 29% annualized returns. That’s better than Berkshire Hathaway managed over the same period.

Let me tell you the story…

John is a consultant. Ann's a retired kindergarten teacher. They like Caribbean beaches.

Forty-two years ago, they spent their honeymoon camping on St. John in the USVI. And in the years since, they've vacationed there now and again. But St. John is no longer the undiscovered Paradise it was four decades ago.

Roatan, however, is reminiscent.

This island -- with its talcum-fine sand, tall green hills, and palm-lined shores -- offers many of the same attractions St. John once did. It's not yet overrun with tourists… it retains a genuinely "authentic" Caribbean feel… and property prices are, today, a fraction of what you'd pay in the USVI.

So John and Ann bought. Three properties all told.

They've just sold the first -- a piece of beachfront in a development just now under construction.

They paid $200,000 for their lot on the sand. And they sold it for $380,000 two-and-a-half years later. That puts a tidy $180,000 in their pockets -- and works out to an annualized return of 29%.

Let me put that in perspective. Over the same period…

The S&P 500 puttered along at 3.0%
Microsoft yielded a respectable 11.6%
Berkshire Hathaway returned a significant 22.3%

But John and Ann's Roatan property delivered an even better 29%

Now, I can't guarantee you'd find similar success on Roatan. After all, I can't predict the market for certain.

But I can't help but point out the significant upside to this kind of investment -- particularly right now.

Here in the States, we're on the brink of a recession -- if not already in one. The dollar has tanked (and may well continue to fall). The bottom has dropped out of real estate markets across the nation.

Yet in Roatan, the market is still headed up. Cruise ships are coming in ever greater numbers. Developers are building and selling.

Plus, the pool of buyers isn't limited to Americans. That's good. European buyers are discovering this island in greater and greater numbers. And the overseas press has offered rave reviews of late.

A Place in the Sun -- the UK's best-selling overseas property magazine -- said of Roatan, "… the consistent 20 per cent capital growth is a mouth-watering prospect not found in many other Caribbean destinations, or indeed throughout the rest of the world. And that 20 per cent can be exceeded by a savvy buyer."

While some Americans may be feeling poorer these days, buyers with Euros are seeing opportunity in dollar-dominated markets. That's good news for anybody with a foothold in Roatan.

-- Barbara Perriello, Director, Agora Travel

Discover these Islands for Yourself, Before the Tourist Hordes Do

These islands are truly resplendent. Beads of land set 35 miles off Honduras’ northern shore, they make up a secret Caribbean paradise that has remained affordable -- not because it’s undesirable… but because the masses simply haven’t discovered it yet.

They’re coming, though… and that’s why it’s so important to grab your foothold now. Because today you can still own a residential lot with a fabulous ocean view for as little as $49,000 or a home just steps from the beach for just $244,000 (complete with a private pool).

To put that in perspective: On Providenciales, the most touristed of the Turks and Caicos Islands, you’ll pay $1.5 million for a residential beach lot.

There a finished, 4-bedroom home in an upscale neighborhood with water views and a pool rarely lists for less than $1.1 million -- and at that price you can figure it needs renovation.

Plus Providenciales -- like much of the rest of the Caribbean -- is "discovered," and you’re likely to find yourself fighting for elbow space on the beach.

Not so in the Bay Islands.

Idyllic Islands… and British Investors are Seeing the Light

“These idyllic islands, best known for being a diver’s paradise, have been sidelined by British investors until recently. But now they’re seeing the light.” – A Place in the Sun, UK

Roatan’s high green hills, lush with hardwood trees and palms, provide picture-postcard views to the warm, cobalt waters shimmering below. Wide ribbons of white sand cling to the coast in protected coves. Elsewhere, towering rocks jut out into the sea, forming dramatic perches for defiant homes.

On Utila, much smaller and flatter, the beaches are just as striking. Perhaps the swaths of sand here appeal so because they tend to take you by surprise. You come on them, for the most part, by boat. As you round a bend in the coast, squinting in the sun and spray, the tat-tat of the engine and the sound of sloshing water below, you discover in front of you these impossibly picturesque scenes… where coconut palms lean left and right along deserted beaches, draping greenery toward talcum-white sand.

Roatan and Utila today call to mind The Bahamas in the early 1970s. Sufficient infrastructure-phone lines, paved roads, regular flights in and out, restaurants, dive shops, grocery stores-makes life here comfortable.

But the beaches remain pristine and not overrun with tourists. Vast tracts of land sit lush with greenery… not a home in sight.

This is the Caribbean’s Last Frontier. But it won’t be so affordable for long.

And that’s why we’re headed back there. I’d like to invite you to join me to head out in search of good-value buys in a friendly, sunny, English-speaking locale just a two-hour, non-stop flight from Miami or Houston.

Nine Reasons Why This is One of the World’s Top Destinations for Overseas Living and Investment

I’ve been traveling to these islands two -- and sometimes three or four -- times a year for the past 13 years. And in that time I’ve made many trustworthy contacts -- attorneys, real estate agents, bankers, business owners, architects, local expatriates, and more. I’ll introduce you to them so you can be sure you’re getting a reliable, up-to-date, accurate view of the opportunities here.

As I mentioned earlier, I own property on these islands, myself. I’ve escorted travelers with an eye to owning a bit of land overseas to destinations the world over -- from Hong Kong to Nicaragua… South Africa to Belize… and this is where I decided to buy.

A sleepy Island Waking Up with Big Plans

"The sleepy Honduran island of Roatán, known for scuba diving and fishing, is waking up with big plans, with both Royal Caribbean and Carnival building new cruise terminals there, and the Westin Resort & Spa Roatan scheduled to open in mid-2008."
– New York Times

These islands sit at the top of my list of the world’s top destinations for overseas living and investment. Here’s why...

The Bay Islands boast long, white beaches and lush, green interiors. This is quintessential Caribbean with crystal-clear turquoise waters and fiery sunsets.
The snorkeling and diving along this hemisphere’s largest barrier reef is among the best in the world, and here you avoid the crowds that regularly invade Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Barbados, and the rest.
The islands are English-speaking, which makes vacationing, living, and doing business here easy.
The retiree legislation allows you to bring in your car and household goods duty free and to receive your Social Security and pension income tax-free.
The new Free Tourist Zone eliminates sales tax and customs import duties. And the capital gains tax is reduced from 10% to 4% -- incredible incentives for both land owners and business owners.
The cost of living is affordable. For example, you can hire a live-in maid who will cook and clean for you full-time for just $40 a week. A doctor’s visit costs $15 or less. You can buy fresh-caught fish for $1.80 a pound, shrimp for less than $4, and lobster for less than $6. A loaf of bread costs 60 cents. Grapefruit sells for 10 cents apiece, and oranges go for 6 cents each. Excellent home construction -- to standards well over U.S. code -- costs $60-$135 per square foot.
Medical care is reliable and professional, with two small hospitals and several clinics serving the islands. Plus, in an emergency, air-evacuation services can whisk you to the mainland in half an hour.
A stable, pro-investment government is committed to encouraging foreign investment. From 2002 to 2006, Ricardo Maduro, a Stanford-educated economist, was president of Honduras. Under his rule, the country implemented vigorous new polices to fight crime and corruption, find new ways to encourage tourism, and help businesses prosper. Current President Mel Zelaya has continued this trend, with the new Free Tourist Zone law serving as an excellent example.
And best of all: You can own the tropical getaway you’ve always dreamed of for a small fraction of what it would cost you elsewhere in the Caribbean. On St. John in the U.S.V.I., for instance, I just checked the MLS sales history to find that the average home-sale price for 2007 was $1.9 million. The average condo sale price? $613,000. In the Bay Islands, you can own comparable properties for one-third that.

Really, that list could be longer. Here’s what I mean...

With Better Infrastructure, Cheaper Air Access, and More Tourists, Property Prices are Poised to Increase

Over the past six years, many long-promised infrastructure improvements have materialized, vastly upgrading the islands’ infrastructure. These days, more and more roads are paved, transforming bumpy rides on sandy trails into easy, pleasurable drives. Telecommunications have improved as the islands have moved to a satellite system, thus avoiding the national utility for internet access and phones.

What’s more, the Tennessee Valley Authority, together with a newly formed power company, has rewired Utila’s town with wind turbines to provide efficient, 24-hour electricity.

Creature comforts are in abundance -- restaurants (Italian, American, Asian, and more), organic greens, massage therapists, shopping, luxury hotel accommodation, and tourist attractions that range from snorkeling, diving, swimming with dolphins, and deep-sea fishing to a butterfly farm, rainforest canopy tour, and visit to local Garifuna tribes.

Perhaps the best recent news is how much easier and more affordable it is to get to the Bay Islands than it was even three years ago.

The major US Airlines continue to add direct flights to Roatan. Delta now has two direct flights from Atlanta every Saturday. And Continental Airlines has direct flights from Houston -- one Saturday and one Sunday. And, during the late winter (February thru April), Continental also has direct flights from Newark. TACA Airlines continues their non-stop flights from Miami every Sunday. And of course if you’re willing to make a stop on the Honduran mainland, you can grab flights to Roatan any day of the week.

Cruise ship traffic is up, which bodes particularly well for local businesses and for property values. Royal Caribbean signed a 30- year agreement to assume the management of the dock used by the cruise ships. They forecast an increase of 10 ships a month to 30 or more. Passenger visits from these ships are expected to grow from 250,000 per year to 850,000 per year.

In addition, Carnival Cruise Lines is in negotiations to use a second dock, which could be completed within two years. That use of that dock could easily bring in another half million passengers -- bringing the annual total to up over 1.3 million per year.

Those cruise ships -- potentially more than 300 per year -- really help bring exposure to these islands. Long a secret hideaway for divers in the know, Roatan and Utila are fast becoming a more mainstream tourist destination. People visit. They like what they see. They come back. They invest. And that increase in demand pushes property prices up.

More and more European visitors are discovering the islands, too. A charter from Milan to Roatan brings nearly 300 passengers a week.

I mention all that because it illustrates two important points:

One, these islands offer many of the same comforts and first-class amenities the best-known Caribbean enclaves do.
And two, more and more people are finding out about this place.

That’s good news for anybody who claims a foothold here soon. Property prices represent a good value today… and they are poised to appreciate handsomely in the years to come.

New Bay Islands “Free Tourist Zone” Makes the Caribbean's Best Retirement Destination an Even Better Deal…

What if I told you that your new vacation or retirement property came with a special bonus – no sales tax and, for qualifying residents and businesses, no import duties?

Well it does. And that’s just the start of the good news.

In 2007, the Honduran legislature passed ZOLITUR, a law making the Bay Islands (including Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja) a "Free Tourist Zone." Signed by President Mel Zelaya in December of last year, this new law provides several lucrative financial incentives.

First, as I've mentioned, the 12 % sales tax disappears for those who meet the ZOLITUR requirements.

Second, the law eliminates all customs and import duties, which means you’ll pay less for imported goods you purchase on the island. And if you’ve qualified your tourism-related business, you’ll bring in all of your supplies duty-free. That equals more profit from your investment.

Third, all real-estate related transactions will be subject to a nominal Capital Gains tax of 4% -- a key source of savings for savvy investors.

By reducing and eliminating taxes, the logic goes, the cost of living decreases. And that should help attract more expatriate residents, more tourists, and more investment.

And as more folks come, property prices -- if history is any guide -- will rise. That's why the time to stake your claim is now.

Elegant, Two-Bedroom Condo Overlooking Pristine White Sand Beach, $279,000

On that subject, let me give you a more concrete sense for the kinds of properties you can expect to see when you travel with us, good-value opportunities like these...

Beachfront condos in the posh, gated, 168-acre Parrot Tree Plantation on Roatan are under construction now and on offer from $299,000. They look out over 2,000 feet of secluded, white sand beach and are elegantly finished with high-end fans, countertops, and tiles.
If you’re looking for a comfortable, well-designed escape, consider a wooden beach home on almost ¾ of an acre. Here you’ll find two bedrooms and two baths and an open-plan living area that leads out to your private pool. It’s situated in a lovely, eco-conscious development where botanic gardens lead down to the beach. Here you’re in a secure, 109-acre private community on the island’s north shore with more than a mile of white sand beach. And the price tag? Just $244,000.
On what is arguably the island’s best beach, you can own a three-bedroom unit in an established, well-maintained, fabulously landscaped, and popular hotel complex with property management -- so it can produce for you rental income -- for $499,000.
On laid-back Utila, a small home just a few minutes from town, surrounded by lots of banana trees and bamboo lists for just $40,000…
Also on Utila -- where the snorkeling and diving really are world-class, the water is crystal clear, and green palms sway along the shore -- you can own a half-acre view lot for as little as $79,500. Right on the surf -- with 120 feet of sandy, white ocean frontage -- a lot in a full-service development lists for $180,000.

You’ll See More, Do More, and Learn More on this Expedition than You Ever Could Going Solo

I assure you: You’ll see, do, and learn more over the course of this week traveling with us than you could gather in six months traveling by yourself.

That’s because we’ll bring the best resources directly to you -- real estate agents, developers, attorneys, architects, local expatriates, and more. You’ll meet our best contacts on the ground, and you’ll come away having experienced a truly insider’s take on this place and the many opportunities it offers.

20% Capital Growth… a Mouth-Watering Prospect

"… the consistent 20 per cent capital growth [on Roatan] is a mouth-watering prospect not found in many other Caribbean destinations, or indeed throughout the rest of the world. And that 20 per cent can be exceeded by a savvy buyer."
– A Place in the Sun, UK

Particularly now -- while the markets at home are volatile, inflation is poised to skyrocket, and the US dollar is weak -- these islands make good sense. Beachfront always holds its value -- after all, they aren’t making any more of it. And diversifying outside the US makes even more sense now than ever.

In this market, you have as buyers not just Americans. And that’s important. Because while we may be tightening belts here at home, adventuresome investors and traveler from other nations aren’t feeling the same pinch.

It means that you can invest now, sit on your property for a time, watch as it appreciates, and then actually find a buyer when you’re ready to sell… from an international pool.

There is no more efficient way to uncover the best-value deals on offer -- whether you’re looking for a place to settle full-time… or part-time… or just looking for a way to diversify your portfolio outside of stocks and outside the U.S.

We’ll Be Based Oceanside on Roatan’s Best Beach

Throughout the program, we’ll be based on Roatan at the lovely Mayan Princess, set on the breath-taking West Bay Beach. On our last trip, a contingent started every day with an early-morning snorkel in the warm blue waters right outside the front door. On several evenings, we’ll enjoy dinner here on the beach. And breakfast is always served under a palapa roof with a view of the glorious blue ocean.

We’ll tour Roatan together to give you the lay of the land, and you’ll have plenty of time to visit the properties that most interest you. Several evenings you’re invited for cocktails at developments, which will give you a chance to wander around some homes and get a feel for what living in these places really might be like.

We’ll fly to Utila for a day, a little island that invites a quiet retreat. Once there, we’ll have time to explore nearly every property for sale -- most of them beachfront.

You can expect a high-end trip -- excellent meals at some extraordinary local restaurants, first-class accommodations, a sunset sail one evening, and insider guides who know these islands and this market intimately.

We’re asking $2,495 per person for one of our spots (the single-supplement is $350). But when you register early, you save $100 and pay just $2,395. (And that price includes your round-trip international airfare from Miami to Roatan.)

Please understand, while we have left a certain amount of free time in the program for you to set up appointments or to simply relax on the sand, go snorkeling, or head out to explore on your own, this week is about as close to "all-inclusive" as you can get. In other words: Don’t expect much by way of additional expense.

The program includes: your round-trip international airfare from Miami to Roatan, chartered round-trip flights from Roatan to Utila, airport transfers to and from the hotel and for all in-country flights, 7 nights’ luxury hotel accommodation, island familiarization tours, personal tours of real estate, the expertise of distinguished speakers, all breakfasts and dinners, most lunches, and several cocktail receptions, a sailing excursion, professional bilingual guides, and assistance throughout the tour by our own tour coordinator and, naturally, guidance from Karim Rahemtulla as well.

We can take only a small group with us on this expedition, and already the spots are filling up. So if you’re interested in exploring the Caribbean’s Last Frontier for yourself, please don’t wait to reserve your place. To sign on, call Agora Travel now at (800) 926-6575, email info@agoratravel.com, or click below.

I look forward to traveling with you.

Warmly,

Barbara Perriello
Director, Agora Travel

P.S. One of the best things about this tour is the people you’ll find yourself traveling with. I assure you: Your fellow attendees will be well-traveled, interesting, entrepreneurial… and fun. It’s useful to have a chance in the evenings to compare notes and bounce ideas off one another. It’s always a savvy bunch in attendance. And you’d be surprised at the number of business partnerships and long-standing friendships that have emerged from our tours over the years. Please don’t delay in reserving your place now. There is no more efficient or reliable way to explore the best opportunities on offer here and position yourself smartly in the Caribbean’s Last Frontier. Call Agora Travel now at (800) 926-6575, email info@agoratravel.com, or click below to save your place.