The island of Trinidad has unveiled some bold goals to grow its long-under-the-radar tourism sector. 

Tourism Trinidad Limited, the island’s destination marketing company, says it is planning to increase visitor arrivals by 7 percent for the 2019-2020 fiscal year period, according to a recent statement. 

The island, which has one of Caribbean’s most vibrant culinary scenes, a robust eco-tourism product and a hotel stock consisting largely of business-friendly hotels focused in its capital of Port of Spain, is looking to reach average hotel occupancy of 64 percent in the same period. 

For the current year, Trinidad has seen a 2 percent increase in tourism visitors, with a total of 276,269 international visitors, according to data from the state-owned TTL. 

“This is an ambitious agenda for Trinidad’s tourism. Our focus is on developing a clearly identifiable Trinidad ‘brand’ to raise awareness of the destination throughout the world, deliver an outstanding visitor experience and establish Trinidad as a destination of choice,” said Howard Chin Lee, the chairman of Tourism Trinidad Limited. “To this end, we have developed a comprehensive roadmap on how we can partner with government and stakeholders to take our tourism sector to new heights.”

The company said it was also looking to develop a “framework” to help local communities build their own tourism offerings. 

Officials say they’ve identified three “key niches” to grow tourism: sports, events and conferences. 

Of course, it’s not easy to grow arrivals without developing new air routes, something TTL says will be a priority. 

The aim is to “deliver better and more sustained connectivity, introduce new routes and airlines to the destination,” the company said. 

Trinidad has a separate destination marketing arm from its sister island of Tobago, which offers a vastly different tourism product and has long marketed itself as a haven for nature lovers. 

Trinidad has long been one of the Caribbean’s most developed destinations, with a surfeit of urban, business-friendly hotels (like the excellent Hyatt Regency Trinidad) and what is arguably the Caribbean’s most popular festival, its signature annual Carnival. 

The 7 percent goal is a lofty one, but it’s the kind of big thinking that Trinidad’s largely neglected tourism sector needs — and what could be a major boost for a destination that teems with untapped potential. 

For more, visit Trinidad. 

— CJ

The post Trinidad Has Big Tourism Plans appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Nigel Spence

Mushrooms are generally not high on the list of foods that Caribbean folks hold in high regard. That may be because we are not and have never been a mushroom growing or consuming society.

What I was taught when growing up was that mushrooms were poisonous
and should be avoided at all costs lest you touch it, keel over and meet your Maker.
As I got older the only other mushrooms ever encountered were of the
hallucinogenic variety and those too came with tales of going over to the dark
side, never to return to normal.

Needless to say, with all these dark tales, there was
absolutely no reason for me to further explore the possibilities of mushrooms
being a part of my diet.

Then came the girlfriend.

She was Italian, with a good dose of crazy, and quite
opinionated.

Among the many firsts I experienced with her, one that I can
mention is the introduction to EATING mushrooms.

It was love at first bite (the mushrooms, that is).

It was that savory satisfying food that I didn’t know I
needed in my life, unlike the girlfriend who had to move on to someone more in
keeping with her character, because at that time it just wasn’t me.

I do thank her for the introduction as it has turned out to
be a “happily ever after” story with the fearsome fungus my mom always warned
me about.

Mushrooms don’t need a lot of in-depth preparation for it to
be awesome; sometimes the simpler the better.

SCOTCH
BONNET MUSHROOMS

1  LB SHIITAKE
MUSHROOMS, FRESH

2 TABLESPOONS ITALIAN PARSLEY, CHOPPED

1 TEASPOON SCOTCH BONNET SALT (RECIPE FOLLOWS)

¼ CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

METHOD:

REMOVE STEMS FROM MUSHROOMS AND DISCARD. HEAT OLIVE OIL IN
LARGE SKILLET OVER MEDIUM HEAT. PLACE MUSHROOMS BROWN SIDE DOWN IN SKILLET. LET
MUSHROOMS SIT AND SAUTE IN THE OIL WITHOUT MOVING THEM FOR ABOUT 4 MINUTES.
TURN OVER TO THE SIDE WITH THE GILLS AND COOK FOR AN ADDITIONAL 2 MINUTES.

REMOVE TO A LARGE BOWL AND TOSS IN SCOTCH BONNET BUTTER AND
CHOPPED PARSLEY.

SERVE WARM AS A SIDE DISH OR ADD AS A FILLING TO
OMELETTES,  TO PERK UP A WARM SALAD OR TO
ADD A NEW DIMENSION TO POTATO SALAD.

SCOTCH
BONNET SALT

Ingredients

20 Whole Fresh Scotch Bonnet Peppers roughly chopped

1/2 Cup coarse Kosher Salt (or sea salt)

1 Large Mortar & Pestle (or food processor)

Method:

Put both ingredients in mortar and pestle and pound until it is the
texture of a chunky paste.

Work in batches if your mortar and pestle is not big enough to hold everything at once.

Nigel Spence, a Culinary Institute of America alumnus, was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Nigel freelanced at the Television Food Network for 3 years where he worked with culinary luminaries such as Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse. Chef Spence has appeared twice on Throwdown with Bobby Flay where he emerged the victor in cook offs against the Food Network star and was featured on CBS when he appeared on Tony’s Table as well as ABC’s Neighborhood Eats, NBC’s The Today Show , Sirius’ Everyday Living with Martha Stewart and TVFN’s Chopped. The acclaimed and New York Times-reviewed Ripe Kitchen and Bar is Mr Spence’s first entrepreneurial endeavour.

The post A Great Caribbean Mushroom Recipe appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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A hot new resort is coming to one of the Caribbean’s hottest hotel destinations: Belize. 

The new Alaia Belize is set in the bustling destination of San Pedro Town in Ambergris Caye, a residential resort community that will be part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. 

The beachfront property, the first-Marriott branded resort in Belize, will include a pool, spa and fitness center, a wedding venue, a beach club, several eateries and a signature rooftop pool. 

The property is approximately 70 percent complete, according to Waypoint, which is handling real estate sales at the property, which will include a mix of standalone beachfront villas and oceanfront condos. 

It is slated to debut in December 2020, a spokesperson for Alaia told Caribbean Journal. 

One of the first branded developments in Belize, Alaia will also include a full-service spa, a dive shop and a “live” art gallery, with interiors by renowned Brazilian designer Debora Aguiar. 

The development by Andrew Ashcroft will be set on the southern portion of Ambergris Caye, with 35 hotel units, along with 56 two-bedroom units and a mix of eight oceanfront villas. 

It’s yet another boost for Belize, which has seen one of the fastest tourism arrival growth rates in the wider Caribbean region in recent years. 

And it’s part of a wave of new hotels in development in Belize that range from a new Margaritaville-branded resort to another property that will be under Marriott’s primary brand. 

For more, visit Alaia Belize. 

— CJ

The post Marriott Is Opening a New Resort in Belize appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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