In a significant development, American Airlines has announced plans to launch new nonstop flights to a pair of Caribbean destinations: Anguilla and Dominica. 

Crucially, will be the only nonstop flights from the United States to either destination, broadly opening up the islands to a new level of tourism. 

Both Anguilla and Dominica have heretofore only been reachable via small regional aircraft or ferries. 

That’s now changing, with both flights set to launch in December. 

“We have been strategically growing our route network to give customers more choices to new destinations, better meeting the demand for travel to Miami, the Caribbean and Latin America,” said Juan Carlos Liscano, Vice President of MIA Hub Operations. “As American’s largest international gateway, we are proud to continue to strengthen our presence at our Miami hub, reaching pre-pandemic levels of flying this year.”

On Dec. 8, American will kick off nonstop service from Miami to Dominica; on Dec. 11, the carrier will launch service from Miami to Anguilla. 

Both routes will be operating on American’s Embraer 175 aircraft, and both routes will operate twice weekly, with service on Wednesdays and Saturdays. 

The Miami-Dominica flights will take about three hours. 

“We are delighted that American Airlines will be inaugurating a twice-weekly, scheduled service to Anguilla this winter,” said Anguilla Tourism Minister Haydn Hughes.  “The introduction of direct service into Anguilla from the US mainland is a goal we have long been working towards, and we are thrilled that our efforts have now borne fruit.  This is a tremendous vote of confidence in our destination, as American Airlines has the equipment and the route network that will enable us to significantly increase our arrivals and further develop our tourism product.”

— CJ

The post American Airlines Launching Nonstop Flights to Anguilla and Dominica appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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All-inclusive resorts are hotter than ever, and since the world’s largest hotel company has made a high-profile entry into the space, the segment is becoming increasingly interesting.

The All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy portfolio currently includes 25 properties across destinations including Antigua and Barbuda; Barbados; Mexico; the Dominican Republic; Jamaica and Saint Lucia.

That includes this week’s debut of the new Delta by Marriott Riviera Nayarit, an All-Inclusive Resort, the company’s first Delta in the region and the world’s first-ever Delta All-Inclusive property.

And this portfolio is as diverse as it is vast: travelers can find everything from the luxe, adults-only boutique all-inclusive The House in Barbados to the Royalton Antigua , home to some of the most sought-after overwater bungalows in the wider Caribbean.

“We are excited to see our All-Inclusive expansion from Mexico and the Caribbean into Central America as well as South America,” Alex Fiz, Area Vice President and Managing Director Caribbean and All-Inclusive at Marriott International, told Caribbean Journal. “The eight Marriott brands that will be expanded to all-inclusive will give the consumer what they are looking for – our service culture, trusted brand experience and a tailored option for every type of traveler – from adult only to family.” 

And that diversity goes beyond resort sizes and destinations.

Marriott has launched a broad foray into all-inclusive, with a focus on four categories: adults-only, family vacations; romance, weddings and honeymoons; and solo adventures, with resorts geared to every kind of traveler.

For adults, that means options to escape to “romantic adventures in exotic destinations,” with a focus on wellness, fashion and music; for family vacations, the emphasis is on adventures for all ages — kids and teens’ clubs, “cutting-edge family accommodations including shared living spaces” and fun dining concepts.

Marriott is also making a big push into weddings, romance and honeymoons, from beach weddings to recreation-filled honeymoons.

And, in a welcome development, Marriott is also acknowledging solo travelers — a category sometimes underrepresented in the broader all-inclusive space.

“We want to offer guests a wide array of options and empower every traveler to explore their kind of dream vacation at distinctive international resorts,” says Fiz. “From authentic local dining experiences to thoughtful programming for all ages, and cultural excursions, curate your memories in your own style.”

Marriott International’s entry into the all-inclusive segment kicked into high gear at the end of 2019 with the company’s acquisition of the sought-after Elegant Hotels portfolio, which includes six all-inclusive resorts on the western and southern coasts of Barbados.

That expanded earlier this year, with the announcement that a collection of Blue Diamond signature branded resorts would be joining the Marriott portfolio.

It’s a significant step for Marriott, and a nod to the growing importance of the all-inclusive category for travelers, particularly in the Caribbean.

Marriott also has more all-inclusive properties on the way, with plans to open new all-inclusive resorts in destinations like Curacao and Jamaica. (You can find out more here).

In other words, the world’s largest hotel company is officially all in on all-inclusive. And that means all-inclusive has a whole new meaning.

For more, visit Marriott All-Inclusive.

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