In what would be a major boost for those flying to the The Bahamas, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism said it was testing preclearance of flights in Florida. 

That would mean that travelers could go through immigration and customs in Florida before they boarded their flights to The Bahamas and not have to do so when they land in The Bahamas. 

The system was first put in place by the Ministry of Finance to help facilitate delivery of relief supplies to Grand Bahama and Abaco after Hurricane Dorian. 

But the system seemed to work so well that the Ministry of Tourism persuaded two Florida airports to keep the system in place on a test basis, it said. 

“Florida has the largest number of private pilots in the United States and the third-largest number of registered aircraft,” Bahamas Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said. “The Florida airport operators are telling us that many private pilots hesitate when contemplating to fly to a foreign country. But if their approvals can be given before they take off from Florida, the operators are convinced that the traffic may substantially increase. 

The Bahamas has long had US Customs and Immigration preclearance in Nassau and Grand Bahama, meaning travelers can go through US Customs and Immigration in The Bahamas before they arrive in the United States. 

Minnis said a major reason for the continuation of the preclearance test was that it would help open up many more islands in The Bahamas for nonstop flights, without having to travel first to an official port of entry and then travel to their eventual destination. 

“If the test is successful, this is likely to be an important plank in our plans to diversify the tourism centers across The Bahamas,” Minnis said. 

— CJ

The post Bahamas Tourism Testing Preclearance in Florida appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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And as you peer out at the green hills, at the sweeping blues and the cliffs beneath, you begin to understand. 

This four-bedroom Anse des Cayes villa is as much a destination as it is villa, a kind of mini-hotel that’s equally wonderful for large groups as it is for couples. 

The latter does make Arc en Ciel a particularly good option for families; it’s a villa where you can be together yet still have your space. 

That’s because the rooms each have their own corners and wings of the property: two standalone bungalows and a pair of poolfront casitas, all with spectacular bathrooms, wonderful amenities and sparkling views of the sea. 

And then there’s the gourmet kitchen and sunken entertainment room, the perfect place for staying in or bringing in a chef for the evening (something your concierge can arrange). 

The outdoor space is where you’ll spend your days, though, an expansive deck with panoramic views, a heated pool and a jacuzzi, where the water seems to flow right into the sky. 

The decor is bright, colorful and artful, with a “sun” motif and a pervasive feeling that you’re discovered a special place. 

And that ethereal vibe seems to permeate the whole property, set high in the cliffs, positioned to perfectly harness some of the best views on the whole island. 

And it’s the setting that really stands out, the privacy, the exclusivity. 

Looking out at the little cays in the distance, you feel as though you’re on your own little island, your own private enclave in St Barth. 

You hear nothing but the breezes, a wind-filled soundtrack for the sky and the water, a view you can’t look away from and a feeling of tranquility that lingers long after you’ve journeyed home. 

In other words, it’s your own piece of heaven. 

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

For more, visit Villa Arc en Ciel by St Barth Properties. 

— CJ

The post In St Barth, a Heavenly Villa in the Hills appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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… to an online checkbook. The Puerto Rico conference agenda includes sessions on … from North Dakota are in Puerto Rico, 11 of them Republicans, three …

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Guyana, the seat of the Caribbean Community and one of the wider region’s undiscovered tourism destinations, is quietly having a very strong tourism year. 

Tourist arrivals were up by 8.5 percent through the end of September, according to a statement from the Guyana Tourism Authority. 

That’s in large part to the late 2018 debut of American Airlines’ first-ever flights to the destination — an airlift boost that will continue into next year. 

Later this month, American Airlines is launching new flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, while in April 2020 JetBlue will launch its first-ever service to the destination. 

Guyana has been working to position itself as an eco-tourism destination, thanks to a surfeit of eco-lodges and one of the most naturally beautiful environments in the hemisphere. 

— CJ

The post Guyana Tourism Is Heating Up appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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American Airlines is set to launch a major new Caribbean flight expansion this month. 

The world’s largest airline will be launching a series of flights across the region beginning Dec. 18 with the launch of new flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Guyana. 

The same day, American is expanding flights with a second daily frequency from Dallas to San Jose, Costa Rica. 

On Dec. 21, American will be launching several new Saturday-only routes, most notably a new route to the USVI.

Those will include a new weekly flight from both Dallas and Chicago O’Hare to the island of St Thomas, a major boost for the United States Virgin Islands and neighboring British Virgin Islands, which relies on both San Juan and St Thomas as its primary gateways.

American will also be launching seasonal Saturday service from Chicago O’Hare and Saint Lucia. 

Finally, American Airlines is launching two more Saturday routes: from New York’s LaGuardia airport to Bermuda, and a new route from Charlotte, North Carolina to the island of Grenada. 

Both the Bermuda and Grenada flights will operate year-round, the company said. 

American will be operating the Grenada and St Thomas flights on Airbus A319 aircraft; the other flights will run on Boeing 737 aircraft. 

It’s a noteworthy expansion for American Airlines long the leading carrier to the wider Caribbean region, but one that has faced continued competition in the region from fast-growing carriers like JetBlue.

And the new flights are an important boost for a Caribbean region that has already been seeing strong stayover arrival growth in 2019, according to the most recent data from the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization. 

Indeed, stayover tourist arrivals to the Caribbean region rose by 9.7 percent in the first six months of 2019, according to the most recently-compiled Caribbean Tourism Organization data. 

That meant around 17.1 million tourists in the period, some 1.5 million more than the first half of 2018. 

– CJ

The post From St Thomas to Saint Lucia, American Airlines’ Big Caribbean Expansion appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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