Early Friday morning, an “explosive” eruption occurred at St Vincent’s La Soufriere volcano. 

The eruption’s ash plume extended at least 10 kilometers into the sky, according to Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines. 

Local pilots were reporting an ash plume of up to 25,000 feet. 

More explosions are possible, according to Professor Richard Robertson of the Trinidad-based University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre. 

“There’s fresh magma, fresh material, and gas rich enough to cause an explosion right close to the surface,” he said. 

Most of the ash is expected to stay in the northern part of the country where the volcano is, he said, depending on the wind direction. 

Video footage of eruption at #LaSoufriere #SVG today. Credit: MVO, Dr Thomas Christopher @soufriere_hills @mvoms pic.twitter.com/p91Z5yXYmS

— UWISeismic Research (@uwiseismic) April 9, 2021

It’s not yet clear what’s in store for the volcano, he said. 

“We have entered an explosive phase, and now it’s necessary to monitor and see if it’s going to get bigger or smaller and if it’s coming to an end or not.”

Robertson said to expect some ash in southern areas of the island, but “once you’re off the mountain you should be good.”

And he cautioned those living on the mountain looking to wait out the eruption.

“If you’re still one of the persons anywhere on the mountain, the first bang is not necessarily the biggest bang,” he said. 

The country has begun evacuating residents living near the volcano. 

“The evacuation continues,” Gonsalves said in a national address. 

So far, almost 5,000 people have been moved, with at least 2,000 people inside shelters. 

Two cruise ships are already in port in the country’s capital, Kingstown, ready to transport residents. Gonsalves noted that, due to a lack of personnel, they will only be used for transport to neighboring islands and not for extended stays. 

The eruption has set off a groundswell of support from across the Caribbean, with a number of islands offering to support the island and take in evacuees. 

“It is very touching that there are families in Antigua and Grenada and Saint Lucia and Dominica who are calling in and say that they will take people if need be into their homes,” Gonsalves said. “On this dangerous road to Jericho we have the good Samaritans.”

— CJ

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The Caribbean’s most popular destination is getting popular again. 

The Dominican Republic, long the powerhouse of Caribbean travel, is seeing positive tourism growth so far in 2021, according to the country’s tourism officials. 

The Dominican Republic reported 263,867 tourists in March, which represented a 56 percent increase compared to February 2021. 

It was also a 3.4 percent increase compared to March 2020, when the country’s tourism sector (along with the rest of the world) shut down in the second half of that month. 

In all, there were 3,142 flights from more 100 different airlines to the Dominican Republic last month, a 39 percent increase compared to February 2021. 

In fact, flight occupancy of flights to the Dominican Republic actually reached pre-pandemic levels last month. 

“The March 2021 rebound in international tourism to Dominican Republic is a clear sign that our reactivation strategy is being successful,” said Dominican Republic Tourism Minister David Collado. “This government’s objective has been to regain the international traveler’s confidence, implementing protocols and effective initiatives with impact on the entire value chain, and last month’s figures prove that we are on the right track.”

Hotel occupancy in the Dominican Republic was 70.6 percent in March, also the highest figure for the country in the last 12 months. 

In the country’s five main tourism destinations, occupancy was uniformly above 68 percent. 

It’s a strong sign for the country, making it one of the few Caribbean destinations that are outperforming the rest of the region, a small collection of destinations that also includes the increasingly strong US Virgin Islands.

The positive numbers are in line with what attendees heard at the recent Caribbean Hotel Outlook conference (you can watch it here).

So what’s next? 

Officials told Caribbean Journal that the number of room reservations in the Dominican Republic as of the beginning of this month was even higher than in the years prior to the crisis. 

And Punta Cana, the country’s highest-traffic destination, is seeing nightly room sales reach historic highs. 

As the world’s vaccination program progresses, particularly in key markets like the United States, Dominican Republic officials say they believe international tourist arrivals to the country “will continue to increase.”

– CJ

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Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has opened its third resort property in Belize, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The company has unveiled the new Turtle Island Beach Resort, a private-island resort off the western coast of Ambergris Caye. 

The new resort, which is owned by Castle Capital Investment, is part of the Trademark Collection by Wyndham. 

It joins existing Wyndham properties in Belize including Ramada by Wyndham Princess Belize City, and Costa Blu Beach Resort, Trademark Collection by Wyndham. 

“We are on a strong growth trajectory for Trademark Collection by Wyndham and we look forward to continuing this momentum,” said Scott LePage, President Americas, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. “This growth is not only a testament to Trademark’s value as a compelling brand, but also the value of the Wyndham brand recognition, which is so important in a time when travelers are looking to names and brands they trust for their future travels.”

The boutique resort has a mix of eight “beach houses” and five villas, all with water views. 

Each of the villas has two bedrooms, a full kitchen and a private pool. 

Resort amenities include an infinity pool, a spa, a fitness center, a beach bar and a signature restaurant. 

“The resort is an idyllic private island escape with an incredible natural setting for outdoor exploration, relaxation and personal service.  We are able to provide our guests a unique all-encompassing five star experience at our private island retreat,” added Daniel Reigl, General Manager of Turtle Island Beach Resort. 

Belize has been open for tourism since last October. 

Belize made news recently as the only destination in the Caribbean that is waiving pre-testing requirements for travelers who are vaccinated. 

For more, visit Turtle Island. 

— CJ

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After nearly a year of using San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marin Airport as its only port of entry, Puerto Rico has reopened two more major airports on the island. 

Puerto Rico has just relaunched two more international airports: Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla and Mercedita International Airport in Ponce. 

The move comes as Puerto Rico is showing renewed strength amid the pandemic. 

Indeed, hotel bookings are up 25 percent compared to a year ago, with $112 million in hotel bookings in Puerto Rico since January, according to a report from travel intelligence firm Adara. 

San Juan’s airport handled 481,270 passengers in February, down from 714,837. And while that may seem like a steep decline, it’s actually a far smaller reduction than the vast majority of the Caribbean. In other words, Puerto Rico is one of a handful of destinations that are outperforming the rest of the region, along with surging travel destinations like the US Virgin Islands.

The reopening of Aguadilla in particular is a major boost for the western coast of Puerto Rico, home to popular destinations like Rincon, one of the island’s top beach spots and among the top surfing destinations in the wider Caribbean.

Aguadilla has long been the second busiest airport in Puerto Rico, with regular service from carriers like Spirit and JetBlue, among others. 

Spirit has already resumed daily nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Aguadilla. 

JetBlue is currently operating flights from New York to Aguadilla, also with daily nonstop service. 

Puerto Rico is currently open for tourism, with a three-day pre-testing requirement; for more on Puerto Rico’s entry protocols for travelers, see here. (It should also be noted that travelers do not need to get tested in Puerto Rico before returning to the mainland United States; because Puerto Rico is part of the US, it is exempt from the CDC’s returning testing requirements).

— CJ

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