By the Caribbean Journal staff

Saint Lucia is the fastest-growing tourism destination in the Caribbean right now, according to the latest data released by the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

The “Helen of the West Indies” reported a total of 386,127 stayover tourists in 2017, an 11 percent improvement that was the highest growth rate of any destination in the region, with Belize a close second.

It was a strong statement for an island that has long been one of the favored honeymoon destinations in the region and now seems to have transcended that into an all-around getaway, particularly a new leader in the Caribbean event space (like its high-profile Saint Lucia Food and Rum festival).

The Landings, Saint Lucia.

That’s along with a slate of exciting new hotel projects, from the recently-debuted Harbor Club hotel in Saint Lucia (which is soon joining Hilton’s Curio Collection) to the already-underway Sandals LaSource St Lucia project, which launched last year. (Sandals also announced last week that golf legend Greg Norman would be transforming its recently-acquired course in Saint Lucia, as well.

Last year, the island saw debuts of a pair of new resorts from Canadian brand Royalton and an expansion of the popular Coconut Bay with the adults-only Serenity at Coconut Bay resort.

Reduit Beach in Saint Lucia, home to the Bay Gardens resort.

Saint Lucia also posted very strong growth on the cruise side, with a total of 668,006 cruise passenger arrivals last year.

That represented a 13.6 percent increase over 2016.

The post Saint Lucia Is the Caribbean’s Fastest-Growing Destination appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By the Caribbean Journal staff

It’s getting even easier to get to Aruba from the Northeast.

Delta has confirmed plans to operate a new weekly Saturday service between Boston and the Dutch Caribbean island beginning in June.

A beach on the eastern coast of Aruba.

The new service will be Delta’s sixth destination in the Caribbean operating out of Boston.

It’s the latest expansion by a U.S. carrier to Aruba, which has seen new flights launched this year from carriers including Southwest Airlines (out of Fort Lauderdale) and Sun Country Airlines (out of Minneapolis), among others.

The post Delta Adding New Boston-Aruba Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

It almost sounds impossible — combining all-inclusive convenience with classic Bajan charm.

But that’s precisely the case at Elegant Hotels’ Crystal Cove boutique all-inclusive resort in Barbados, a colorful, warm property set on one of the most beautiful stretches of Platinum Coast sand.

The classic, pastel-colored layout has the feel of a village, and the recently-transformed rooms are bright and inviting.

And then there’s the party piece – the spectacular cave pool replete with a grotto bar.

This is the essence of a boutique all-inclusive.

This is Crystal Cove.

See more in the latest CJ Video at the top of the page.

For more information, visit Crystal Cove.

— CJ

The post VIDEO: Checking in to Barbados’ Crystal Cove appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By the Caribbean Journal staff

JetBlue traffic is showing no signs of slowing down.

The New York-based carrier reported traffic growth of 6.8 percent in February, compared to the same month in 2017.

That came on a capacity increase of 6.8 percent, while load factor remained at 82.6 percent.

Overall, JetBlue repoted 3.691 billion revenue passenger miles, along with 4.47 billion available seat miles.

The carrier’s average stage length was 1,104 miles.

JetBlue has been one of the fastest-expanding airlines in the Caribbean, although it has faced increasing competition from Southwest, which has been on a rapid network expansion push, particularly out of its Fort Lauderdale hub.

The post JetBlue Traffic Keeps Surging appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Holland America Line’s new state-of-the-art cruise ship is set for a December debut.

The highly-anticipated Nieuw Statendam will have a capacity for 2,666 guests, with eight more staterooms than its sister-ship Ms Koningsdam.

That includes a redesigned Pinnacle Suite and reconfigured family staterooms, among other changes.

“As with every new ship, we’ve listened to guest feedback and made our own assessments that have led to exciting changes to Nieuw Statendam that will enhance our stateroom experience across every category,” said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line’s president. “Staterooms should be a sanctuary for our guests, and they are going to appreciate the elegance, functionality and extra-special touches to be found on our newest ship.”

The ship will also feature “spa” rooms and suites, which are located near the ship’s Greenhouse Spa and Salon and even come with yoga mats for use during the sailing.

All staterooms and suites will include bathrobes; premium massage showerheads; flat-panel TVs with video on demand; mini-fridges and Elemis toiletries, among other amenities.

All interiors have been designed by designer Adam Tihany.

The post Holland America’s Newest Ship Set for December Debut appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico