By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of Old San Juan’s most popular seafront promenades is back in business.

The Paseo La Princesa, which was closed after suffering damage during Hurricane Maria, has opened its access to the public again, albeit in limited capacity.

The announcement was made by Carla Campos, a Puerto Rico tourism official.

“The Paseo La Princesa in Old San Juan has a great historical value that both the residents of the Island and our visitors enjoy,” Campos said. “For this reason we work quickly with the “task force”, created to perform the tasks of cleaning and damage assessment, and today we are pleased to announce that the tour is already open to the public.”

The reopening is the result of months of effort from architectural, structural engineering and historical experts.

“The work of this team will result in a renewed, resilient and strong Paseo La Princesa,” Campos said. “We decided to open it to the public so that this iconic space an be available for the enjoyment of our people.”

— CJ

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The United States Virgin Islands is slated to launch a major new voluntourism-style program called Purpose in Paradise.

The comprehensive program aims to enhance the territory’s “broad network of community-based philanthropic activities and strengthens our ability to attract visitors in search of purpose-driven travel opportunities,” according to a statement.

The initiative will pair visitors interested in helping the USVI’s recovery efforts with local nonprofit organizations in need of help on specific projects, from rebuilding vegetable gardens to coral restoration to helping measure seedlings in mangroves.

The program will also allow visitors to contribute financially to the USVI’s recovery through donations to groups like the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park and the Family Resource Center in St Thomas.

For more, contact info@purposeinparadise.org.

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By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

It’s always been known for its blue, but now Bonaire is making it official.

Bonaire, long one of the Caribbean’s top destinations for snorkeling and diving, is developing a multifaceted public private partnership program that will established the island as the first “Blue Destination,” officials announced this week.

The designation will denote Bonaire’s commitment to the sustainable use of ocean resources for growth, wellbeing, jobs and the ocean ecosystem’s health.

Bellafonte Bonaire, a top boutique resort.

Bonaire is aiming to position itself as a progressive island toward synergizing people and nature, which it hopes will increase its competitive position and status as a leader in the preservation of its assets.

Bonaire was the first Caribbean island to have a protected marine park, with protection of nature always being a priority of its sustainable tourism policies.

The legendary Captain Don’s Habitat dive resort in Bonaire.

The island’s economic development plan is built on sustainability and 40 percent of the island already uses clean energy.

Becoming a Blue Destination is aligned with Bonaire’s culture, history and the heritage of people who have embraced and protected the ocean for their livelihood, officials said in a statement to Caribbean Journal.

Coral restoration efforts in Bonaire, which has become a leader in the area.

“Bonaire looks forward to adapt the Blue concept and share this with its stakeholders, community and visitors,” a representative said in a statement.

Throughout the upcoming months, Bonaire will have various events dedicated to orienting itself as a Blue Destination, including the launch of a national social campaign: “What is Blue to You?”

This campaign will serve as a promotional vehicle to get locals involved in the conservation and marketing efforts of the island.

There will also be a community event in correlation to the Bonaire International Sailing Regatta – which takes place October 10, 2018 – where Bonaire will officially declare itself a Blue Destination.

The launch comes as Bonaire welcomed American Airlines’ first-ever nonstop flights from Miami to Bonaire this weekend.

— CJ

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Southwest Airlines is resuming its seasonal daily Caribbean flights for the upcoming tourist season, the carrier announced this week.

The seasonal network will relaunch Nov. 4, 2018.

That will include flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Belize, Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos; St Louis to Cancun and Houston to Liberia, Costa Rica.

Southwest has been rapidly expanding its Caribbean flight network in recent years, most significantly out of its Fort Lauderdale hub.

The post Southwest Resuming Seasonal Daily Caribbean Flights This Winter appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

American Airlines officially launches its first-ever flights to Bonaire this weekend, with plans for more.

The carrier will also be adding flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from Dec. 15 through March 30, 2019.

That’s along with the Saturday flight that launches June 9.

The Bellafonte Bonaire boutique.

The American flight will leave Miami on Saturdays at 12:05 PM, arriving in Bonaire at 4:13 PM local time. The return flight will depart Bonaire at 5:05 PM, arriving in Miami at 7:15 PM.

The move comes after the performance of the Saturday flights is “booking extremely well,” according to a statement from the Tourism Corporation Bonaire.

The raw landscape of Bonaire.

“We are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement with American Airlines to provide additional non-stop service to Bonaire,” commented Maurice Adriaens, Director of Tourism Corporation Bonaire. “They are confident that the extra flights will do well. These flights will to allow us to generate more traffic to the island concurrent with the expansion of our hotel and villa inventory.”

At Sea, Bonaire, the island’s destination eatery.

TCB said the bookings for the Saturday flight thus far had been concentrated from Miami, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Charlotte.

It all adds up to a significant boost for the Dutch Caribbean island, which is best known for its remarkable marine offerings but has increasingly put itself on the map of late in areas like food and adventure sports.

The Delfins Beach Resort.

The island also added a very sleek new boutique beach resort, the Delfins Beach Resort.

“Tourism Corporation Bonaire is very excited about this opportunity and we look forward to continue to build a long term partnership with American Airlines,” TCB said in a statement.

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