… . Wednesday for the ports in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgins … Friday and pass north of Puerto Rico on Saturday.
There are no … U.S. Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico unable to depart 24 hours …

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Royal Caribbean International president and CEO Michael Bayley will headline a major tourism forum in Antigua next month.

Bayley will be taking part in a special exchange called the Caribbean Tourism Sector Outlook Forum held at the Royalton Antigua resort.

The Oct. 4 event is being organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization as a “platform for discussion between member governments and leaders from the tourism industry that generate business to the region,” according to a description from the CTO.

The forum is open only to CTO government members, including ministers, commissioners of tourism, tourism directors and CEOs of destination management organizations, among others.

The event will also include a Caribbean Tourism Youth Congress.

The event is effectively replacing the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State of the Industry Conference, which was postponed this year as it is being reimagined.

For more info, visit the Caribbean Tourism Sector Outlook Forum.

— CJ

The post Royal Caribbean CEO to Headline Tourism Forum in Antigua appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

It’s one of the most sought-after corners of the Caribbean — that famous triangle of Caribbean hotspots: St Maarten, St Barth and Anguilla.

And just two years after Hurricane Irma, the trio of destinations is in the midst of a significant tourism renaissance, in large part due to its hub: St Maarten.

St Maarten has been leading the way, posting tremendous tourism growth of more than 100 percent in the last year, an essential comeback for the wider area thanks to St Maarten’s crucial role as a regional transit hub — centered on its Princess Juliana International Airport.

St Maarten’s numbers represent what is easily the fastest growth rate in the wider Caribbean region, a strong statement even in a year when a number of destinations are posting solid rates of arrival growth. (The resurgence has been accompanied by a similar comeback on the cruise side).

The El Zafiro resort in St Maarten.

Visitors are finding a new energy in St Maarten, from new beach bars like the world-class Roxxy in Simpson Bay to Sonesta’s marvelously restored Maho and Ocean Point resorts, relaunched favorites like the Oyster Bay Beach Resort — and even new hotels on the way like The Morgan, which is targeting an opening date at the end of this year.

And it’s a comeback that has now been spilling over to its neighbors, including Anguilla.

Indeed, St Maarten is the chief port of entry for visitors to Anguilla, which is almost exclusively reached by public ferry or charter boat from St Maarten (although Caribbean luxury carrier Tradewind Aviation offers service from San Juan to Anguilla as well)

Tradewind’s Caribbean network includes Anguilla with a focus on the peak tourist season.

Anguilla’s tourist board this week reported a total of 55,916 stayover visitor arrivals from January through June, which represented a 16.75 percent over the same period before Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Going further back, this year’s totals represent a 26.03 percent increase over the same period in 2016.

“We are delighted to see the results of the intense work we have put into the marketing and promotion of Anguilla,” said Anguilla’s Tourism Secretary, Cardigan Connor. “We are grateful for the combined efforts of both our public and private sector partners, in producing the desired results. With events such as our recent Summer Festival, and the upcoming Anguilla Cup, we are confident that we will continue to attract and grow the number of visitors to our wonderful island.”

The Nevaeh villa in Anguilla.

In a statement, officials told Caribbean Journal that the increase meant Anguilla was “well on its way to achieve its goal of a 20 percent increase in stayover arrivals for the fiscal year 2019.”

The resurgence has come from Anguilla’s robust hotel sector, led by properties like the Four Seasons Anguilla and Cap Juluca (the latter of which reopened at the beginning of this year), and its from historically strong (and growing) villa sector, home to one of the Caribbean’s most impressive collections of ultra-luxe villas like the popular Nevaeh and a longtime visitor favorite, Tequila Sunrise.

Anguilla will soon be home to another new hotel, the boutique Tranquility Beach resort, set to debut for the festive season in December.

But it all comes back to St Maarten, whose resurgence has been crucial for much of the wider region, including smaller destinations like Statia and Saba as well.

For more, visit St Maarten.

— CJ

The post St Maarten Is Leading a Caribbean Tourism Comeback appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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… over power restoration in Puerto Rico after controversial Whitefish Energy … work restoring power to Puerto Rico due to a … questionable contract award.
The Puerto Rico Power Authority hired Cobra … Associated General Contractors of Puerto Rico, says that the …

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Turks and Caicos’ Wymara Resort has named a new director of sales and marketing, the property announced this week.

The Providenciales resort has tapped industry veteran Jorge Collazo for the role, who previously worked at the resort from 2012-2014.

“I am thrilled to return to Turks and Caicos.  The transformation that is underway at Wymara Resort and Villas will have the travel industry abuzz,” Collazo said in a statement.

Collazo comes to the Wymara after having served most recently on the opening team at the Silversands hotel in Grenada.

“Jorge brings more than a decade of experience to us at Wymara, not least of which includes previous time working in the Turks & Caicos,” said Rolf Lippuner, general manager of the resort. “Jorge’s strengths are not simply found is his ability to sell and market, but his experience has also seen a number of years in hotel operations with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts as a Night Manager, Director of Housekeeping and Director of Revenue. All told, he is incredibly experienced and well-rounded and will help take us to the next level.”

— CJ

The post Turks and Caicos’ Wymara Names New Marketing Director appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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