… a Senate hearing this spring, Puerto Rican Department of Agriculture officials testified … of the Government of Puerto Rico.”
Fortunately, in Puerto Rico there are irrigation channels … shortages of bottled water, Puerto Ricans drank from mountain springs and …

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In what is easily one of the most anticipated relaunches in the Caribbean in several years, the Ritz-Carlton St Thomas has officially reopened its doors. 

The Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas, long the leading hotel in the United States Virgin Islands, began welcoming guests again on Saturday, Nov. 23. 

The Great Bay beach resort had been shuttered since suffering damage during Hurricane Irma in 2017. 

In what the property is calling a “new era of island-inspired elegance,” the resort has been redesigned and updated, with renovation Marriott pegged at $100 million. 

The new Ritz-Carlton St Thomas has a transformed infinity pool; a kids’ pool; a reimagined club lounge and four dining concepts, from a Sicilian eatery called Alloro to the US Virgin Islands-inspired Coconut Cove, all with a focus on farm-to-table dining and locally-sourced ingredients. 

That’s along with amenities like the brand’s signature Ritz Kids programming; tennis courts and a newly-added 55-foot catamaran for private excursions. 

There’s also a heavy menu of daily activities, from fitness classes like yoga and cardio and resort garden tours to a daily rum tasting and complimentary use of snorkel gear, among other touches. 

The Ritz-Carlton St Thomas is also adding a second family pool which is slated to open in January 2020, according to the property. 

The return of the 180-room-and-suite hotel is a significant boost for the USVI and its ongoing tourism recovery, particularly for the USVI’s luxury market. 

The reopening comes as the vast majority of the USVI’s major hotels have reopened, from the beloved Bolongo Bay Beach Resort to the Westin St John Resort.

Next year, Ritz-Carlton’s parent company Marriott will be reopening its Frenchman’s Reef resort, also in St Thomas, along with opening a new resort in St Thomas called Noni Beach. 

The latter resort will be opening under Marriott’s Autograph Collection brand; the two properties’ openings will mean a combined investment of $200 million. 

Ritz-Carlton’s Caribbean portfolio includes resorts in Puerto Rico, Cancun, Aruba and Grand Cayman. 

For more, visit the Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas. 

— CJ

The post The Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas Reopens, in Huge Boost for USVI appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Barbados tourism continues to see solid growth, according to the latest numbers from the country’s destination marketing organization. 

Barbados recorded a 4.2 increase in stayover tourist arrivals in the first nine months of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018. 

“Several of [our marketing] efforts are bearing fruit and we must press forward in this light to conclude the rest of the year with a solid performance,” said William “Billy” Griffith, Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.

Between January and September 2019, Barbados welcomed 522,583 visitors through the enhanced Grantley Adams International Airport, thereby accounting for an increase of 21,200 visitors. 

The BTMI is also continuing to pursue new cruise marketing and product development initiatives, officials said. 

The BTMI is projecting cruise arrivals to reach around 840,000 by the end of December.

Of Barbados’ major source markets, Central and South America recorded the highest growth for 2019 at 11 percent, followed by the United States at 9.5 percent, the latter a particularly significant number.

Germany and the United Kingdom also performed favorably with increases of 5.7 percent and 8.7 percent respectively. 

“One of the pivotal elements of guaranteeing the viability of our tourism industry is ensuring that the island remains easily accessible by land and sea,” Griffith said. “The BTMI has worked closely with our airline partners to maintain, and even boost airlift and this has contributed in part to our favorable increases in arrivals.”

— CJ

The post Barbados Tourism Numbers Keep Climbing appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A critically endangered Puerto Rican toad has for the … Associated Press Friday that the Puerto Rican crested toad — named … will be released in Puerto Rico.
She said the other … semen from six male Puerto Rican crested toads that were …

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Club Med has reopened its all-inclusive Club Med Caravelle in the French Caribbean department of Guadeloupe. 

The property has completed a more than $52 million renovation and expansion project.

The company says the renovation has “made the resort Club Med’s new flagship in the French West Indies,” where its portfolio also includes the Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek in Martinique. 

The changes at the resort include the addition of a new adults-only “Zen Oasis,” a new “Baby Club” for infants and toddlers, a new water play park and, most importantly, the addition of 130 new rooms. 

Of those, 42 rooms are within the Zen Oasis. 

The resort has also added a new restaurant called Gourmet Lounge, a “Rum Cellar” and a new beachfront spa. 

Additionally, Club Med said it has committed to eliminating all single-use plastics in bars and eateries at the resort by the end of the year. 

For more, visit Club Med Guadeloupe.

— CJ

The post Club Med Reopens Guadeloupe All-Inclusive After Renovation appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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