The Dominican Republic is the Caribbean’s fastest-growing economy, according to the latest updated projections from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Dominican Republic’s Gross Domestic Product is projected to grow by 5.3 percent this year, the highest projected growth rate not only in the Caribbean but in all of Latin America.

The next-fastest-projected growth was Guyana at 3.7 percent, according to the report, the fastest-growing CARICOM Member State.

The Caribbean region as a whole was projected to grow by 1.4 percent in 2017.

Note: ECLAC data does not track overseas territories or departments in its projections.

For the full list of economic projections for the Caribbean, see below.

The post The Dominican Republic Is the Caribbean’s Fastest-Growing Economy appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Solmar Group Is Expanding with two new Cabo San Lucas resorts.

The company has announced two new luxury resorts in Los Cabos, both of which will be part of Rancho San Lucas, an 834-acre oceanfront real estate and resort development.

The properties include Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas Resort and Grand Solmar the Residences at Rancho San Lucas.

“We are delighted to be part of Rancho San Lucas’ initial phase and look forward to continue growing the brand’s presence in this region,” said Ricardo Orozco, vice president of operations. “This will be the continuation of the Solmar Legacy, which has remained a key player in Los Cabos tourism since the late 60s,” he added.

The property will include amenities including full kitchens with marble counters, private terraces, ceramic-tiled baths and an extensive salt water lagoon.

The post Solmar Group Expanding in Los Cabos appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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If you love rum, it’s like that Guyana’s El Dorado rum has a prominent place in your cabinet.

This robust, renowned marque has long produced some of the Caribbean’s best, most flavorful rums, owning up to Guyana’s proud rum (and sugar) making heritage.

But El Dorado has shaken things up with its latest collection: the Connoisseur Range.

You see, Demerara Distillers, which produces El Dorado, has the privilege of owning three original stills from the centuries-old Demerara Estates in Guyana.

Each of the Connoisseur releases is a different single-barrel edition, distilled and aged in small batches, each connected to the production techniques and recipes connected with the venerable old estates.

In this case, it’s that of ICBU, linked to the 18th-century Uitvlugt Estate on the Demerara River, unique for its four-column French Savalle Still. The rum is then aged 12 years in American bourbon barrels.

The ICBU has a pure amber color, with an aroma of sugar cane, caramel and dried apricot.

It is a beautifully light rum, with a floral flavor profile marked by notes of sugar cane juice, almond, mocha and a hint of spice.

It’s remarkable in that despite its deep-rooted Demerara origin, it actually reminds of a top-class Bajan rum.

This is an exquisite work of rummaking, rarefied and delicate, perfectly executed.

— Alexander Britell

The post Rum Journal: El Dorado Single Barrel ICBU appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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American Airlines Group is continuing to show a traffic decline in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The carrier reported 2.574 billion revenue passenger miles in March, a 4.8 percent decline compared to the same month in 2016.

Available seat miles to the region saw a 2.5 percent reduction to 3.43 billion, while load factor declined by 1.9 percentage points to 75.1 percent last month.

For the year to date, revenue passenger miles to Latin America and the Caribbean have declined by 7 percent compared to the first quarter of 2016, while available seat miles saw a 6.7 percent decline in the first quarter.

— Caribbean Journal Staff

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One of the Caribbean’s greenest hotels is even greener.

The British Virgin Islands’ Cooper Island Beach Club boutique hotel now has more than 270 photovoltaic solar panels powering the resort.

That has saved over 875,000 lbs of carbon emissions to date.

Even better, the green energy powers the Caribbean’s only solar-powered microbrewery, producing five different varieties of draft beer that change seasonally.

The Beach Club also has a bio-reactor that turns waste water into irrigation water, allowing the property to grow more of its own organic produce.

Of course, the property’s rum bar is reason alone to visit.

— CJ

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