By Rico Louw

Similar to the opening month of 2018, February hotel performance was sluggish when compared with historical trends in the Caribbean, according to the latest data from STR.

As noted in our article last month, Q1 months are typically the high-performance time period in the Caribbean.

This February, however, occupancy fell 2.7% year over year, and the absolute level (73.4%) was the lowest for the month since 2010. Regardless of the occupancy drop, average daily rate (ADR) stayed almost flat (-0.2%), while the absolute level ($245.52), was the lowest for a February since 2014. As a result, revenue per available room (RevPAR) fell 2.8% to its lowest absolute level for a February ($180.28) since 2013. Overall, this was the Caribbean’s fourth consecutive month of year-over-year demand and occupancy declines.

The performance decreases are especially notable considering that the Caribbean reported a 0.3% decrease in supply from last February—only the second supply decrease since October 2012 (November 2017 was the other). A drop in supply is usually uncommon for a large region, unless a major event, such as a hurricane, causes damage and forces a number of property closures. Supply decreases probably will not become a trend throughout 2018, however, as there are currently 35 projects in construction in the region, accounting for 9,460 rooms. As more time passes, more properties may come back online as well.

February performance decreases were not consistent for every island, however. When examining performance of the islands where STR maintains a sufficient reporting sample, the Cayman Islands experienced the largest year-over-year increases in occupancy (+12.1%), ADR (+16.0%) and RevPAR (+30.0%).

It’s good to see the absolute ADR in Puerto Rico (US$225.58) was the highest for any month in the country since March 2016, while its absolute RevPAR level (US$177.77) was the highest for any month since February 2016. What was different about Puerto Rico in February was that hotel demand actually fell 8.4% from last February, but a steep drop in supply (-15.2%) kept the pressure off of occupancy and rate levels.

Among other select islands, Trinidad and Tobago saw the only other double-digit rise in occupancy (+10.4%), while Curacao posted the second-largest increases in ADR (+15.3%) and RevPAR (+17.6%).

On the other hand, the steepest year-over-year occupancy decline was seen in Cuba (-13.8%).

Post-hurricane regions showed the largest ADR decreases, mainly due to reporting properties being closed for renovation, which means less of a sample was available.

For questions regarding hotel data reporting in the Caribbean, please contact Rico Louw, Client Account Manager—STR, at rlouw@str.com.

The post Trinidad, Curaçao Hotels Showing Strength appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By Alexander Britell

One of the Caribbean’s sexiest new hotels has reopened on the island of Anguilla.

The Reef by CuisinArt, the sister property to Anguilla’s signature CuisinArt resort, officially reopened on Sunday after having been shuttered in the wake of  Hurricane Irma.

The property, which had first opened in October 2016, has a total of 80 units across four beachfront buildings on Anguilla’s Merrywing Bay.

The Reef has a lobby bar, two restaurants, a full fitness center, two tennis courts, a boutique and poolside spa treatments (guests also have access to the nearby signature Greg Normal golf course, which has been back open for several months).

It’s a modern, striking alternative to the more Mediterranean-styled CuisinArt, with a contemporary, boutique feel.

It’s another huge step for Anguilla’s tourism recovery, which has been buoyed in the last few months by the relaunches of top resorts including the Four Seasons Anguilla, which opened last month, and the Zemi Beach House, which was the first post-Irma relaunch when it made its return in February.

In January, a new boutique hotel opened in Anguilla, the Quintessence.

As for the original property, the CuisinArt has announced plans for the “complete restoration” of its Rendezvous Bay beachfront property, with a planned reopening in November 1 of this year (and it’s already taking reservations).

The post The Reef by CuisinArt Reopens in Anguilla appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Panama-based Copa Airlines is making its return to the island of St Maarten.

Copa will be returning with weekly flights to St Maarten in June, according to Acting Minister of Tourism Cornelius de Weever.

“This is a significant development.  Copa Airlines is a strategic partner where airlift is concerned from Latin America,” de Weever said in a statement. “The airline is the Hub of the Americas in Panama which offers the most direct way to connect to the Americas, while SXM Airport is the hub for the North Eastern Caribbean.”

It’s an important boost for St Maarten in the wake of Hurricane Irma, given the importance of Copa’s hub in Panama as a gateway from Latin America to the Caribbean.

“These developments are positive signs that things are moving in the right direction and our country will be back better than ever,” de Weever.

Copa had been serving St Maartien since 2010 before suspending operations to the island in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

The post Copa Airlines Is Returning to St Maarten appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The U.S. Virgin Islands is seeing a new airlift boom, and the island of St Thomas is the latest beneficiary.

Florida-based Spirit Airlines has officially launched new daily nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and St Thomas’ Cyril E. King Airport.

It’s another big step for the US Virgin Islands as it makes its recovery in the wake of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, both of which hit the territory.

The Emerald Beach Resort in St Thomas.

But the destination has been seeing a strong recovery, as more hotels and resorts have reopened their doors, including St Thomas’ Marriott Frenchman’s Cove and the Emerald Beach Resort.

There are also a host of reopened hotels on neighboring St John, including Gallows Point, Estate Lindholm and the Cruz Bay Boutique Hotel.

Gallows Point in St John.

Several other St Thomas properties will open in the next few months, including the Secret Harbour resort, which is planning a June 1 relaunch, as does the very popular Bolongo Bay which is currently renting rooms but planning an official reopening June 1 as well.

Spirit’s St Thomas expansion comes after the low-cost carrier announced it would be launching new nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and the island of St Croix, service which will start May 24.

It’s also another example of Fort Lauderdale’s dramatic growth as a hub for Caribbean travel, as carriers including JetBlue and Southwest Airlines look to position the airport as the base of their Caribbean networks.

The post New Daily Nonstop Flights to St Thomas appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Air France has launched several new summer services in the Caribbean.

The focal point of the carrier’s schedule will be two weekly flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and St Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport, services which are being operated on an Airbus A330 aircraft.

That’s an increase from what had been a planned operation of just one weekly Paris-St Maarten flight.

Air France is also extending its service to Costa Rica, with two weekly flights to San Jose throughout the summer season.

Air France first resumed its flights to St Maarten in the December after its flights were suspended in the wake of damage from Hurricane Irma.

The soon-to-debut Gran Hotel in San Jose.

Air France is also continuing its recently-launched Atlanta-Guadeloupe flights, the company said.

The post Air France’s New Caribbean Summer Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico