By Eve George Caribbean News Now Senior Correspondent PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — A very active rainy season in Trinidad and Tobago has left hundreds of residents marooned in their districts and homes, with just as many seeking shelter on higher ground from massive flooding ravaging the countryside. According to a statement from the ministry […]

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Airbnb has been making major inroads in the Caribbean — and one destination is seeing bigger growth than the others, according to newly released data from the sharing economy giant.

The leader? The island of St Thomas, which topped the Caribbean rankings for 2018, followed by San Juan, Puerto Rico.

St Thomas, the tourism hub of the United States Virgin Islands, saw a 600 percent increase in bookings over the last year on the home-sharing platform, led by Charlotte Amalie.

“We have been working diligently to rebuild and revamp our tourism product, and we are encouraged that our efforts to increase overnight visitors to the United States Virgin Islands are bearing fruit,” said USVI Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

The rankings are based on internal Airbnb data as of September 2018.

They measured future guest bookings for the upcoming peak tourist season for November 2018 to March 2019 in the Caribbean, with only destinations with a minimum of 100 guest arrivals making the cut.

Those projections were compared to future guest bookings for the period in 2017-2018.

It’s yet another example of what has been an admirable tourism recovery for the greater US Virgin Islands in the wake of last year’s crippling hurricanes.

Indeed, the island has seen a rebirth in its aviation network and airports (with new airports on the way), while hotels and villas have also bounced back significantly.

“With the return of traditional hotels, resorts and villas – along with the strong growth of sharing platforms – we are pleased with this validation by Airbnb,” Nicholson-Doty said in a statement.

The Bolongo Bay in St Thomas.

Of course, the island’s hotels have returned in strong numbers, from boutique hotels like The Fred in Frederiksted to the signature Buccaneer in St Croix to the iconic Bolongo Bay in St Thomas.

— CJ

The post St Thomas Is Airbnb’s Top Caribbean Destination Right Now appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Is Trelawny the next Montego Bay?

The parish of Trelawny, the next parish east of the tourism hub of St James (home to Montego Bay), is seeing significant hotel development growth.

“Trelawny can no longer be ignored,” Jamaica Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett said this week.

Indeed, Trelawny has some 6,000 new hotel rooms in the pipeline in the corridor between Rio Bueno and Falmouth, Bartlett said.

While it’s sometimes, wrongly, called greater Montego Bay, the fact is that Trelawny is a distinct parish — and is forming its own tourism identity.

Trelawny has seen massive growth in recent years from brands like Royalton. (Above, the Royalton White Sands).

“Trelawny is now forging with its transformation from a parish that has been dominated by agriculture, more so sugar cane, to what is now a very vibrant tourism sector,” Bartlett said.

The Minister was speaking at the official debut of the new Excellence Oyster Bay, a new all-inclusive property in Trelawny.

The $110 million project held its soft opening over the summer.

“In a few years, when you combine the inventory of Trelawny with that of Montego Bay, you are looking at two-thirds of the hotel room stock on the island,” Bartlett said.

The post Jamaica Has Big Plans for Trelawny appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Riu Hotels and Resorts is bringing its new “Riu Pool Parties” to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

The new space being built to house the parties will be opposite the Riu Bambu, and offers free entrance to all guests over 18 years old staying in any of the brand’s five hotels in Punta Cana — Riu Palace Macao, Riu Palace Punta Cana, Riu Palace Bavaro, Riu Bambu and the Riu Naiboa. 

The new space in Punta Cana.

In addition to the pool, this new area will feature four bars, including a poolside bar and one with snacks available.

Riu’s dancers and DJs, both local and international, are coming to Punta Cana after successful tenure in Los Cabos and the Riu Tequila, where they hold weekly parties, to bring life to the part with their performances.

A Riu pool party in Mexico.

Those pool parties were launched in Mexico earlier this year.

Four theme parties per week will be held: the Pink Party, in which everything is bathed in a pink glow to add a touch of magic to the ambience; the Jungle Party, with decor to make guests feel as though they are in the depth of a tropical forest; the White Party, which uses this color as the backdrop for the greatest hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s; and the Neon Party, filled with colored florescent light.

— CJ

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