By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

The fourth annual Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum is slated for June 22-24 at the Hyatt Regency in Miami.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, which puts on the Miami-based conference, says unity and innovation will be examined as central factors to fuel the growth of the region’s industry.

“As we meet under the theme of ‘Unite and Innovate’, delegates will learn from each other, break the molds and set a new normal for the industry,” said CHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy. “You really need to be there to connect with people and ideas which simply can help you to improve your bottom line while innovating and contributing to the competitiveness of the region’s leading economic sector.”

Troubetzkoy noted that after a challenging close to 2017 in the wake of September’s hurricanes, it was important for industry stakeholders to get together and share ideas to stimulate the growth of the hospitality sector for the remainder of 2018 and beyond.

The organization president pointed to CHIEF as a critical educational platform for regional hoteliers, industry professionals and allied partners where best practices are shared.

“Professional development and connectivity with peers continues to be the number one reason why our members attend CHIEF,” said Troubetzkoy, who said she looks forward to benefiting from and contributing to the various sessions during the summer conference.

Three educational tracks will cover a multitude of relevant hospitality and tourism topics, ranging from operations to sales and marketing, the sharing economy and sustainability.

Professional development training and a vibrant speed networking session will return this year.

“This is the event to attend if you want to take on the issues affecting your business right now,” said CHTA CEO Frank Comito, nodding to the changing economic climate.

He expanded on the theme by pointing out CHIEF was designed to allow participants to “unite with fellow hoteliers, innovative vendors, government officials and industry experts and to create new possibilities for a stronger, more sustainable and more profitable industry.”

By encouraging hotel owners, vendors, managers, associations and agencies from more than two dozen Caribbean countries and territories to unite under one roof for a weekend in June, Comito expects “a stimulating generation of innovation and creativity, which will fuel our sector for the exciting time ahead.”

CHIEF will also feature Taste of the Caribbean, where the region’s best chefs and their teams from around the region will compete for culinary awards.

Taste of the Caribbean also provides educational opportunities for food and beverage participants, who learn the latest trends and techniques emerging from their industry.

Also returning to Miami this year will be CHTA’s Caribbean305 event, which will feature flavors of more than a dozen Caribbean nations at the culinary and cultural celebration taking place on Miami’s Jungle Island on Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 8 p.m.

The post CHIEF Hospitality Conference Returns for Fourth Year appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of the top resorts in Turks and Caicos has been sold.

Grace Bay Resorts has acquired the boutique Point Grace resort on Grace Bay Beach, the company announced in a release.

Grace Bay Resorts has assumed ownership and management of the property effective immediately.

Point Grace will be rebranded as a Grace Bay Resorts property, while retaining the Point Grace name.

GBR plans “gradual improvements” over the next several months, it said.

“We are honored to have been selected by the resort’s longtime owner to assume this role and include Point Grace in the Grace Bay Resorts group,” said Mark Durliat, chief executive officer and principal of Grace Bay Resorts. “The original owner was a true pioneer in establishing this idyllic luxury resort and its dedicated staff have done an incredible job of establishing its strong presence in the marketplace.”

Point Grace features a collection of 35 suites, along with two restaurants and a spa program, among other amenities.

The hotel is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection.

“We are delighted to welcome Point Grace to the Grace Bay Resorts family,” said Nikheel Advani, chief operating officer and principal at Grace Bay Resorts. “We believe in this impeccable product as well as the dedicated employees and will continue to enhance the guest experience in the years to come. We are confident that we will be able to complement the work which is already being done at Point Grace and help the resort reach its full potential.”

Grace Bay Resorts’ collection also includes the Grace Bay Club, the West Bay Club, The Private Villa Collection and the soon-to-open Rock House.

The post Turks and Caicos’ Point Grace Sold appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Great luxury is its own form of travel. It’s a journey away from the ordinary, from the adequate. It’s a journey to the indulgent, to the beautiful, to the extraordinary.

The best luxury resorts take you on that journey, working with their surroundings to bring you to a different plane of experience.

Naturally, it begins with service. It’s the quality of service that takes great hotels and turns them into truly great luxury resorts. And then, of course, design, and amenities. The range of offerings.

But there’s a final question, one of authenticity.

Does this hotel belong in its destination? Is it at home in its surroundings? Does it work in tandem with its destination, or could it be placed anywhere in the world?

A great luxury hotel in the Caribbean has to have a sense of place; it has to be a part of the Caribbean.

And it has to be unforgettable.

These are the top luxury resorts in the Caribbean, 2018 edition.

Ladera, Saint Lucia We’ve called it the ultimate luxury resort. This is a truly Caribbean luxury hotel — everything is local, everything is hand crafted. It’s the most authentically Caribbean hotel in all of the region — along with the best views you will ever encounter.

The post The Top 25 Luxury Resorts in the Caribbean appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

World-renowned Chef Jose Andres has expanded his Caribbean footprint.

The Spanish chef has debuted his new Fish by Jose Andres at The Cove resort at Atlantis Paradise Island.

The new dinner-only eatery serves a menu focusing on Bahamian seafood, including local lionfish.

“Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the ocean – whether it’s enjoying the freshest delicacies of the local waters or going diving,” Andres said. “Fish tells the story of this beautiful, mysterious thing we call the sea, through food — and my team and I are very excited to create this new experience at The Cove. Our Bahamian team is as committed as I am to supporting sustainable fishing practices and the protection of the Bahamian coral reefs.”

The restaurant will serve everything from local hog snapper to its own version of jerk chicken, with an open concept including a “fire stage” consisting of two Josper ovens.

The eatery, designed by Spanish firm Capella Garcia, aims to give the impression of being in an underwater world.

Jose Andres.

“The inclusion of Chef Andrés’ craftsmanship at The Cove provides an impactful opportunity to showcase the exceptional elements of The Bahamas,” says Audrey Oswell, President and Managing Director of Atlantis, Paradise Island. “We are incredibly proud that we have been able to create locally-infused, ocean-linked dining experiences for our guests, in partnership with visionaries like Chef Andrés, who is not only one of the most talented Master Chefs in the world, but also an advocate for the protection and preservation of our country’s natural resources.”

Andres first entered the Caribbean market with his Mi Casa by Jose Andres at the Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico.

The post Jose Andres Expands Culinary Empire to The Bahamas appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines has launched a major new expansion of its flight service to Puerto Rico.

In a huge boost for the still-recovering destination, Frontier has launched new daily nonstop flights from both Long Island-Islip and Miami to San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

Frontier also launched a new route from Raleigh-Durham to San Juan, with nonstop flights operating to Puerto Rico twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Frontier has been operating flights to Puerto Rico since June of 2017.

Frontier is operating the new flights on its Airbus A320 aircraft with a capacity of 180 seats.

The year-round, daily Miami flight will add 17,700 seats per year to San Juan, while the Raleigh and Islip flights will total a combined 33,000 annual visitors.

“We celebrate the arrival of these new routes, and we thank Frontier Airlines for betting on Puerto Rico and contributing to the restoration and strengthening of air access to the island,” said Carla Campos, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “[Air access] is fundamental for the growth of the tourism industry and the economic development of Puerto Rico.”

The Serafina Beach Hotel opened last month.

While much of the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico has been seeing a remarkable tourism recovery centered around its tourism hub in San Juan.

More and more hotels are reopening each month (most notably the recent return of the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar), while the island has also been adding new hotels, from last month’s debut of the new Serafina Beach Hotel in San Juan’s Condado neighborhood to the soon-to-launch OLV:55 luxe boutique.

The post Frontier Airlines Launches Big Puerto Rico Expansion appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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