By the Caribbean Journal staff

Two resorts (and a private island) have been listed for sale in The Bahamas — and they’re all on up-and-coming Cat Island.

Nassau-based real estate brokerage firm Engel & Volkers Bahamas has listed the three properties for sale, including the Fernandez Bay Village, the Greenwood Beach Resort and the private-island Hawks Nest Cay at the island’s southwestern tip.

Fernandez Bay and Greenwood have each been family run for decades, while the 40-acre Hawks Nest Cay is a vacant island with one mile of linear waterfront.

Greenwood Beach in Cat Island.

The concurrent listings of these properties could potentially be transformative for the island, home to miles of untouched beaches, some very cool history and the highest point in The Bahamas, among other features.

The island has increasingly been on the radar of in-the-know travelers in recent years, drawn to the undiscovered charm of the Out Islands of The Bahamas.

It will soon get another boost when Silver Airways launches its new service from Fort Lauderdale to Cat Island in February.

Old Bight Beach is the most famous stretch of sand on Cat Island.

“The Bahamas is perfectly positioned for the changes that are taking place internationally and these properties on Cat Island check all the boxes, including; niche market experiences, the layout of the resorts cater to both the hotel customer and the vacation rental market, the trend is larger vacation homes for families and groups of friends and these resorts offer a ‘rent the entire property’ opportunity,” said Colin Lightbourn, license partner and real estate advisor for Engel and Volkers. “Collectively the properties can also fill a void on the island by creating new amenities and experiences for each other.”

While they have been listed at the same time, all three properties are listed separately.

They’re collectively priced under $6 million, according to the company.

— CJ

The post Two Bahamas Resorts For Sale, All on Cat Island appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Antigua and Barbuda continues to see booming tourism growth.

The beach-filled twin-island destination reported 268,949 stayover arrivals in 2018, an 8.75 percent increase over 2017 that was one of the highest growth rates in the Caribbean region.

Combined with cruise passenger arrivals, the destination welcomed more than one million visitors in 2018.

Galley Bay in Antigua.

“A record setting year for Antigua and Barbuda,” said Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez.

Cruise arrivals totaled 792,873 passengers, while yacht arrivals numbered 19,543, according to just-released data.

“We have had a very strong year of growth,” Fernandez said. “Very early in 2018, the teams were tasked with re-grouping and working more strategically to attract more stayover visitors to the destination.”

The Pineapple Beach Club in Antigua.

Indeed, the 2018 stayover figures surpassed totals for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, Fernandez said.

That included a comeback for the island of Barbuda, which saw the reopening of its top boutique hotel, the Barbuda Belle.

“Our teams were relentless and our tourism performance for 2018 has been exceptional,” he said.

Hermitage Bay.

That was buoyed by very strong growth from the Canadian market — which saw a 66 percent increase in arrivals.

The United States market, the primary source of travelers to Antigua and Barbuda, saw 8 percent growth.

Growth from the United Kingdom was largely flat, with officials citing the “uncertainties of Brexit that have suppressed outbound travel from the UK.”

A new “glamping” style retreat in Antigua.

“We are optimistic about another year of growth for 2019, with the destination expected to benefit further from upgrades to our tourism infrastructure, new room stock and airlift,” said Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

The growth has come as Antigua has become one of the Caribbean’s hottest destinations for hotel investment, with a wave of new brands on the way, from Waldorf Astoria to Rosewood.

Royalton will soon open a new all-inclusive on the island, while Elite Island Resorts is planning to debut a new luxury adults-only resort as well this year.

— CJ

The post Antigua and Barbuda Continues Tourism Boom appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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… cover by meeting with Puerto Rican officials to discuss ongoing … members make their way to Puerto Rico for this important weekend — … House Democrats to visit Puerto Rico where they’ll … association with lobbyists.
Another Puerto Rican proverb is a good way …

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By Bob Curley
CJ Contributor

There’s a reason Saint Lucia is one of the hottest destinations in the Caribbean right now: a hard-to-match blend of romance, scenery, culinary sophistication and good, plain-old adventure. And the best way to experience the island is in one of its marvelous collection of resorts, each unique, each perfect for the Saint Lucia vacation you’re looking for. Here are seven ways to visit Saint Lucia right now.

The beach at Viceroy Sugar Beach.

Saint Lucia for Scenery Junkies and Rum Lovers: The Viceroy Sugar Beach

The brilliant white villas and bungalows at Sugar Beach offer minimal distractions to the resort’s closeup views of the St. Lucia coastline and the Pitons, providing perpetual eye candy whether you’re lounging at the hotel pool or splashing in the surf. The Rainforest Spa is one of the most beautiful in the Caribbean, with waterfalls tinkling around treehouse-style treatment rooms, and an Amerindian steam dome is a rare nod to indigenous wellness practices alongside the typical massages, facials, and other services. Among the resort’s dining and drinking options is the Cane Bar, perhaps the world’s most elegant rum bar, with a on-staff “rummelier” to help pair the Caribbean’s homegrown spirit with a selection of sushi, sashimi, and Asian-inspired small plates.

The post Seven Ways to Visit Saint Lucia appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The latest Caribbean Photo comes from Caribbean Journal reader Stephen Roth of Kansas City, Missouri, who sent in this lovely shot of Charlotte Amalie in St Thomas, taken from his balcony aboard the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship while leaving port.

“I could not pass up a chance to capture the island’s beauty,” he tells us.

Have you taken a great photo in the Caribbean?

Send it to news@caribjournal.com with CPOTW in the subject line, including your first and last name and the location of the photo.

It could be the next Caribbean Photo of the Week!

— CJ

The post Caribbean Photo of the Week: St Thomas, From the Sea appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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