By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

The Bahamas has made no secret of its ambition to turn the island of Grand Bahama into a tech hub and innovation center, and its plans got a big boost with the recent announcement that GIBC Digital would be launching a new office on the island.

GIBC provides digital solutions in automation, data intelligence, cyber and fraud, customer experience as well as regulation and compliance.

“This government has been focused on making technology the third pillar of our economy and it has been our vision to advance not just the economy, but the digital economy in Grand Bahama,” said Minister of State J. Kwasi Thompson. “Today, we are seeing some of the fruits of the Grand Bahama Technology Hub Initiative.

“This is a project which advances the entire Technology vision for Grand Bahama. It involves capital investment, providing employment, and providing the necessary training in the technology industry,” he said.

“Today’s announcement by GIBC represents a significant investment in Grand Bahama’s economy,” he said. “GIBC intends to invest a minimum of $2.5 million this year to establish its office in Grand Bahama.”

“I am excited that this investment will enable the hiring of 50 persons to work along with the company both locally and regionally,” he said.

The hiring process has already begun.

“We are further pleased that this investment also involves training of Grand Bahamians for the technology industry,” said Thompson. “In addition to the initial investment, GIBC has indicated they will invest another $1 million through deployment of employees from the United States, the UK, and other areas to The Bahamas to conduct training and direct work.

“GIBC anticipates that for each skilled job created, another 2.5 jobs will result in our local service, and tourism sectors, resulting in an estimated economic impact of over $10 million in the first year alone,” he said. “Further, GIBC’s has expressed plans to expand its Bahamian operations to over 150 employees and build a state-of-the-art, sustainable Data and AI center within three years, bringing an economic impact of $50m by 2020.”

GIBC is one the first companies to benefit from the Commercial Enterprise Act in Grand Bahama.

They have been granted approval, which has enabled them to set-up their office quickly.

“Grand Bahama should be pleased and proud that a global technology company has chosen not only to set up an office, but to invest in the lives of our people, and to be a part of this important technology initiative,” said the minister.

President of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Ian Rolle, described the day as “significant” and said it was the beginning of something new in the technology sector.

“Both the government and the Grand Bahama Port Authority’s vision for this place is to increase the population in a very unique way,” said Rolle.

The post Grand Bahama Tech Hub Vision Moves Forward appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Windstar Cruises has hired a team of sommeliers to serve guests on sailings around the world, including in the Caribbean.

The new wine experts provide an enhancement for guests as the summer cruise season begins, building on the ongoing, fleet-wide upgrades to the small ship line’s wine, beverage and culinary programs.

“Our new sommeliers will offer their all-encompassing knowledge of wine to guests, as well as to our dining room and bar servers by holding frequent tastings and educational classes,” explains Windstar Cruises Director of Hotel Operations Peter Tobler. “Travel is an excellent way to expand your wine repertoire. Our sommeliers will share their wine expertise, tasting tips, and make recommendations for varietals from nearby the ports of call.”

“Most importantly, they will help guests select the best wine to pair with our gourmet food selections,” he continued. “When on holiday, this is the best way to complete each day.”

The sommeliers were chosen for their training, knowledge and experience worldwide having worked in a broad spectrum of wineries, restaurants travel and hospitality providers such as Celebrity, Disney and Seabourn cruise lines, Hermitage and Radisson hotels, and Le Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux, among others.

Justin McAuliffe was the first to offer sommelier services to guests sailing in Asia, and he will be joined by Antony Graz Pradeep, Vitor Da Encarnacao Custodio, Marko Pejic and Slaven Cosic, who will rotate among four ships.

Windstar sommeliers lead wine tastings on board each cruise– generally one to three are offered depending on the length of the voyage–for a nominal fee.

In addition, the sommeliers may accompany guests on culinary-themed shore excursions to local wineries and restaurants.

Windstar also recently announced a multi-year partnership as the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation.

This year’s culinary-themed cruises will feature not only James Beard-recognized chefs, but also top sommeliers from across the U.S., including Belinda Chang and Shelley Lindgren, Jon McDaniel and Katie Bell.

The sommeliers will partner with onboard chefs to create food and wine pairings reflecting the culture of their travels.

As the line enhances its wine offerings, it has also expanded those for beer and spirits, and is now offering lower daily prices for any beverage package to guests sailing 14-day and longer, back-to-back Star Collector Voyages.

The line launched a new beverage package program in the fall, allowing for a variety of tiered levels of premium products.

The post Windstar’s New Wine Program appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

A major tourism training push is set for the United States Virgin Islands next week, as Aquila’s Center for Cruise Excellence launches a three-day training program for tourism industry professionals in the territory.

The program, supported by the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, will entail “Customer Service and Frontline Training” sessions that will help polish the skills of the “meeters and greeters” who are the face of tourism across the territory.

The sessions, which will take place at the University of the Virgin Islands’ St Croix and St Thomas campuses, will take “customer service professionals, such as tour and taxi drivers and hospitality sales staff, through issues such as how to make a lasting impression on visitors and inspire them to return, handling challenging situations, and being mindful of cultural differences,” according to a statement.

“We are committed to providing customer service training for our hardworking professionals in the tourism industry,” said Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty. “We’re in a global competition with other destinations, and today’s discerning travelers make decisions based on many factors, including their expectations of friendly, helpful and attentive service. This training helps us excel.”

The post In the US Virgin Islands, a Tourism Training Push appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Independent hotel brand Preferred Hotels and Resorts has added a new member property in the Caribbean.

The eco-focused Hotel Xcaret outside Playa del Carmen on the Caribbean coast of Mexico is the latest property to join Preferred, which is the world’s largest independent hotel brand.

The all-inclusive property is focused on its vast eco-park holdings, giving guests access to six nature parks in the area, among other amenities.

The Xcaret was one of three hotels in Mexico to join, along with the Hotel Playa Grande and the Casa del Mar in Los Cabos.

The post Mexico’s Xcaret Joins Preferred Hotels appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

In the biggest flight expansion to the Caribbean in several years, American Airlines has announced plans to launch eight new nonstop routes to the Caribbean this year, along with a huge expansion in frequencies from Miami.

Beginning in December, American, the world’s largest airline, will launch new Saturday service across the region.

That includes flights from Charlotte to both North Eleuthera and Abaco; flights from Dallas-Fort Worth to Aruba; from Miami to St Vincent; and from Chicago to Aruba, Grand Cayman, Nassau and Providenciales.

All of those new routes will launch on Dec. 22, with Charlotte and Dallas flights set to operate year round and Chicago flights to operate in the winter tourist season.

American Airlines will also be operating expanded daily service from Miami to Barbados; Curacao; Grand Bahama; Puerto Plata; Port of Spain; Santo Domingo and Saint Lucia, all of which will begin operations on Dec. 19 for the winter season.

It’s a huge statement from American, which has seen a significant increase in competition in the Caribbean from carriers like Southwest Airlines and JetBlue, both of which have been on massive expansion pushes to the region in recent years.

The Miami-St Vincent service is particularly notable, making it the first regular service by a US-based carrier to St Vincent and its new Argyle International Airport (Air Canada and Caribbean Airlines were the first carriers to launch flights to Argyle in the last year).

See below for a full chart of the new flight launches:

The post American Airlines Is Launching 8 New Nonstop Routes to the Caribbean appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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