The new Firefly Villas beachfront home community has officially broken ground in the Grenadines.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves oversaw the ceremony in Bequia, which marks the start of construction on the residences.

The project is located in a 15-acre private enclave on a tropical plantation in Bequia.

Each of the residences will offer views across the beach, sea and plantation.

Firefly Villas is being developed by Bequia Development Ltd in association with Firefly Hotel Bequia and Firefly Hotel Mustique.

The groundbreaking ceremony in Bequia.

Buyers will year-round villa maintenance and in-villa hotel services, along with the option of placing homes in a rental pool.

The residences have been designed by Swedish architect Olle Rex.

Villas are priced beginning at $630,000.

“St Vincent & the Grenadines offers the opportunity to invest while enjoying a relaxing and rewarding way of life, something that, through this project, will be made available to investors from abroad, while providing local employment, stimulating the local economy, and generating additional revenue for the government,” said John Bowers, an executive at Bequia Development.

7th Heaven Properties has the listing on the residences.

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Leonardo DiCaprio’s highly-anticipated Caribbean hotel project is moving forward.

Blackadore Caye, set on a private island off the coast of Belize, will aim to set a new standard for green hospitality and local ecosystem restoration.

For the last six months, DiCaprio and his team have been gathering feedback from local stakeholders and citizens on the original project design, developers said.

The final design reflects that input, including even the removal of overwater structures which “garnered great design acclaim but caused concern for just a few local environmentalists,” according to the project.

Caribbean Journal has received the latest renderings by design firm Denniston.

As it stands, Blackadore Caye will feature 36 resort bungalows and 36 estate homes.

All of the project’s power will be sourced from renewable energy, while water will be provided through rainwater collection and onsite water treatment.

The island’s infrastructure has been designed under a “unique conservation framework developed by top biologists and ecologists,” who have reportedly studied ways to support and enhance the island’s habitat and biodiversity.

A rendering of the “Gaia” welcome pavilion.

Developers will also replant mangrove, replacing invasive species with native species and enhancing soil and habitat.

The project was first announced in the spring of 2015.

DiCaprio first purchased the island in 2005.

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A huge new water park has debuted in the Dominican Republic’s tourism capital.

Hotel giant Riu has opened its first-ever water park, with the debut of the Splash Water World in Punta Cana.

The $3.5 million complex is accessible at no charge to guests staying at any of the five Riu hotels in Punta Cana.

The family-friendly park includes everything from the Body Vortex, a closed body slide that shoots guests towards the pool; the Kamikaze, with drops from various heights; and a “free-fall slide.”

There are also unique sections of the park for kids.

The park is open free for guests staying at any Riu hotel in the area, including Riu Palace Punta Cana; Riu Palace Macao; Riu Palace Bavaro; Riu Naiboa and ClubHotel Riu Bambu.

— Caribbean Journal Staff

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Norwegian Epic, one of the company’s largest ships, has arrived in Port Canaveral for the winter season.

Epic will be sailing a series of Eastern and Western Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries ranging from three, four, six and seven days.

The ship had spent the past year in Europe, where it underwent an extensive renovation.

“We saw great success in Port Canaveral when we returned to the port last year with Norwegian Spirit, so we felt it made sense to take our commitment to the next level by bringing Norwegian Epic, one of our largest and most awarded ships, to sail from the greater Orlando area,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Norwegian Epic revolutionized the cruise industry when she debuted in 2010 and she arrives today in Port Canaveral a nearly new ship, having undergone extensive renovations through the Norwegian Edge program, and will offer a variety of itineraries varying in length and ports of call.”

Epic’s seven-day Caribbean itineraries will include stops in Tortola, St. Thomas and Great-Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.

Its Western Caribbean itineraries will stop in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios and Great Stirrup Cay.

“Port Canaveral is the proud new homeport for Norwegian Epic and our goal is to provide excellent customer service for our cruise guests, which is what Norwegian Cruise Line has come to expect of us,” said John Murray, chief executive officer of Port Canaveral.

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The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association is “committed” to working with new United States President Elect Donald Trump, it said in a communique issued this week.

“We wish you great success in your presidency and look forward to working with the United States government towards making tourism a far greater force to the benefit of our industry and the people of the Caribbean and the United States of America,” wrote CHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy and CEO Frank Comito in the letter to Trump.

The pair underscored the importance of tourism to the Caribbean and the United States, as the world’s predominant and fastest-growing industry, contributing 9.8 percent to global GDP.

“Tourism is a common thread which binds the Caribbean and the United States, generating employment, entrepreneurial activity and foreign exchange for our region while contributing significantly to U.S. exports and economic activity,” they wrote.

The CHTA is the region’s leading organization representing tourism interests for national hotel and tourism associations.

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