By the Caribbean Journal staff

JetBlue is set to launch a big expansion to Antigua’s VC Bird International Airport, tourism officials said Monday.

The New York City-based carrier will be adding two additional flights from New York to Antigua every week, according to Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez.

That will mean nonstop flights from New York to Antigua and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The Barbuda Belle in Barbuda.

“The increase in this carrier’s capacity will be a welcome boost for our weddings and honeymoon market. It will ensure that adequate airlift is available to support the marketing efforts of both the Tourism Authority and our hotels ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, which signals the start of the winter season,” said Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. 

The announcement came as Fernandez led a delegation including James, US Director of Tourism Dean Fenton and US Sales Manager Norrell Joseph to meet with airline executives in the United States last week.

Antigua.

“This has been one of the most successful months in airlift for us this year,” Fernandez said. “The overall feedback from our airline partners, this year, is that they have seen strong demand for our product, particularly during the summer months, largely as a result of the over 500 rooms that we have added within the last few months; and our robust summer campaign #WhatCoolLooksLike.” 

Those new rooms are highlighted by the recent debut of the new Royalton Antigua.

The JetBlue expansion comes as Antigua has seen renewed airlift growth, most notably with Virgin Atlantic’s recent announcement that it would be adding an additional daily flight from the United Kingdom. (British Airways will also be offering daily service year-round to Antigua beginning in the summer of 2020).

The Pineapple Beach Club in Antigua.

The Antigua and Barbuda delegation met with several other airlines, including United Airlines and Southwest, looking to explore opportunities from new US gateways like Houston, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale and Chicago, officials said.

American Airlines also announced it would be resuming its second daily flight from Miami on Dec. 18.

Officials said all signs pointed toward 2019 being a “record year for the country’s air visitor arrivals.”

— CJ

The post JetBlue Is Adding More Nonstop Antigua Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

From the popular “Ag” Festival to Crucian Christmas, the USVI is one of the Caribbean’s hubs for great events.

And now the territory’s Department of Tourism has launched a new division to enhance these assets.

The USVI has launched a new Division of Festivals, naming Assistant Commissioner of Tourism Elizabeth Hansen Watley as its new acting director.

“As an established music and cultural ambassador of the Virgin Islands, we believe Assistant Commissioner Hansen Watley is well placed to help launch and execute efforts to establish our islands as a world-class destination for cultural celebrations,” said USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte.

The Department of Tourism has already launched a recruitment drive to fill positions in the new division, including a permanent director of festivals and a director of the Cultural Heritage Institute.

The new Division will “plan and implement several activities, ranging from organizing events to rolling out an aggressive marketing campaign,” according to a statement.

The USVI celebrates three major events: the Crucian Christmas Festival, the VI Carnival in St Thomas and the St John Festival.

Each event features beauty pageants, music concerts, sporting events and food fairs.

— CJ

The post USVI Tourism Launches Division of Festivals appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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… fund for Puerto Rico.
Hurricane San Ciriaco hit Puerto Rico Aug. 8 … financial situation of Puerto Rico made it difficult … the Headquarters Department of Puerto Rico issued General Order No. … to determine whether Puerto Rico would be granted independence …

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

A highly-anticipated new Club Med resort is set to open in the Dominican Republic in November.

The new Club Med Miches Playa Esmeralda, the first of Club Med’s “Exclusive Collection” in the Americas, will officially open Nov. 23, the company said this week.

A rendering of the main pool area.

The property is set on 93 acres of beachfront land in Miches, a small town in the Dominican Republic’s El Seibo on the northeastern shores of the country, opposite the far end of the bay of Samana.

Club Med, the all-inclusive global brand, is billing the resort as “eco chic,” with a no single-use-plastic policy and green initiatives ranging from a tree replanting program to what the company says are “strict industry certifications.”

The beach in Miches.

The aim is to “keep as much of the land’s ecological essence so guests who visit the resort understand the natural beauty that first attracted many locals to the destination,” the company said in a statement.

The resort will be set across four “villages”: Archipelago, Emerald Jungle, Explorer Cove and Caribbean Paradise.

What a room will look like.

That will include separate enclaves for families and for adults.

Amenities at the beach resort will range from a Club Med Spa by Cinq Mondes to a large “splashpark” aquatic park to a “secret chocolate room” where kids have to figure out the password to enter.

The company says the focus is to highlight the natural beauty and environment in this corner of the Dominican Republic.

The resort’s culinary program will be led by executive chef Thierry Van Rillaer, who has trained at several two- and three-Michelin-star eateries in Brussels, among other stops.

Overall, the property will include four restaurants, four bars, three “wine cellars” and a coffee house,

It’s a rapid debut for a project that was first announced in the fall of 2018.

It represents the largest project for Club Med in the Caribbean in nearly four decades, joining existing Club Med resorts in The Bahamas, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Turks and Caicos and another Dominican Republic resort in Punta Cana.

For more, visit Club Med Miches.

— CJ

The post Club Med to Debut New Dominican Republic Resort in November appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Holland America is planning 160 cruises to the wider Caribbean region for the upcoming winter cruise season, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The Seattle-based cruise line will sail a range of itineraries from seven to 21 days, using seven of its ships, including two of its newest cruise ships: Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam.

All of those ships will sail roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.

“Summer will be over before we know it and there’s nothing like having a Caribbean cruise to look forward to for a winter escape, especially when a day on a private-island paradise is included,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “The Caribbean offers that perfect combination of laid-back relaxation, fun and colorful culture.”

Most of the company’s 2019-2020 itineraries will stop at Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private destination in The Bahamas.

And the cruises will include chances to see ports further south, including Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, Saint Lucia, Basseterre, St Kitts, Fort-de-France, Martinique and Bonaire, among others.

For more, visit Holland America Line.

— CJ

The post Holland America’s Newest Caribbean Cruises appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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