By the Caribbean Journal staff

Sunwing has revealed the launch date for its new Planet Hollywood Beach Resort in Cancun.

The all-inclusive hotel in the Mexican Caribbean is slated to open March 1, 2020, the company said this week.

The new hotel, set in Costa Mujeres on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, will include 898 luxury suites and a theme featuring Planet Hollywood’s cinema focus and Hollywood memorabilia.

The property will include amenities like a mini-golf course, a lazy river, a water park, a FlowRider simulator and a trampoline park called “JUMP,” among others.

The hotel will also include an adults-only wing, it announced earlier this summer.

— CJ

The post Planet Hollywood Cancun Plans March 2020 Debut appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants is expanding again in the Caribbean, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The popular upscale hotel brand is planning to open a new boutique resort on Roatan off the Caribbean coast of Honduras.

The new property, which will be the third Caribbean resort for the brand, is slated to make its debut in “early 2021,” according to a statement.

The new Kimpton Roatan will join the existing Kimpton Seafire in Grand Cayman and the in-development Kimpton Kawana Bay Resort in Grenada; the latter is slated to open in late 2020.

The property, owned and developed by Vista Capital, will be the first internationally-branded hotel in Roatan, with 126 guest rooms (including 43 suites) and amenities like a rooftop sky bar with a glass-fronted pool; a large outdoor pool, a “chef-driven restaurant”; lounges and beach bars and more than 6,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, according to the company.

“We continue to prioritize our expansion in the Caribbean market and see Roatán as a tremendous opportunity to deliver a unique experience to our Kimpton loyalists and IHG Rewards Club members,” said Mike DeFrino, CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. “It is no small feat to be the first boutique hospitality brand in this beautiful destination. We are excited to be partnering with Vista Capital, who are equally committed to honoring the local heritage and culture in a sustaining, eco-conscious way.”

Roatan.

Roatan has long been a favorite of Caribbean aficionados drawn to its laid-back vibe and tremendous snorkeling and diving, among other features.

“We’ve long felt the island of Roatán to be one of the best kept secrets in the Caribbean,” explained David Dachner, President of Vista Capital. “We were so inspired and impassioned by the local culture here that we wanted to partner with a top operator to bring our vision to life, opening the doors of Roatán to the world. We are so thrilled to have Kimpton join us in this history-making moment, and know that our new resort will soon become a well-known paradise.”

Kimpton is part of the IHG umbrella of hotel brands.

— CJ

The post Kimpton Is Opening a New Caribbean Hotel in Roatan appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

JetBlue is set to launch a big expansion to Antigua’s VC Bird International Airport, tourism officials said Monday.

The New York City-based carrier will be adding two additional flights from New York to Antigua every week, according to Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez.

That will mean nonstop flights from New York to Antigua and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The Barbuda Belle in Barbuda.

“The increase in this carrier’s capacity will be a welcome boost for our weddings and honeymoon market. It will ensure that adequate airlift is available to support the marketing efforts of both the Tourism Authority and our hotels ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, which signals the start of the winter season,” said Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. 

The announcement came as Fernandez led a delegation including James, US Director of Tourism Dean Fenton and US Sales Manager Norrell Joseph to meet with airline executives in the United States last week.

Antigua.

“This has been one of the most successful months in airlift for us this year,” Fernandez said. “The overall feedback from our airline partners, this year, is that they have seen strong demand for our product, particularly during the summer months, largely as a result of the over 500 rooms that we have added within the last few months; and our robust summer campaign #WhatCoolLooksLike.” 

Those new rooms are highlighted by the recent debut of the new Royalton Antigua.

The JetBlue expansion comes as Antigua has seen renewed airlift growth, most notably with Virgin Atlantic’s recent announcement that it would be adding an additional daily flight from the United Kingdom. (British Airways will also be offering daily service year-round to Antigua beginning in the summer of 2020).

The Pineapple Beach Club in Antigua.

The Antigua and Barbuda delegation met with several other airlines, including United Airlines and Southwest, looking to explore opportunities from new US gateways like Houston, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale and Chicago, officials said.

American Airlines also announced it would be resuming its second daily flight from Miami on Dec. 18.

Officials said all signs pointed toward 2019 being a “record year for the country’s air visitor arrivals.”

— CJ

The post JetBlue Is Adding More Nonstop Antigua Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

From the popular “Ag” Festival to Crucian Christmas, the USVI is one of the Caribbean’s hubs for great events.

And now the territory’s Department of Tourism has launched a new division to enhance these assets.

The USVI has launched a new Division of Festivals, naming Assistant Commissioner of Tourism Elizabeth Hansen Watley as its new acting director.

“As an established music and cultural ambassador of the Virgin Islands, we believe Assistant Commissioner Hansen Watley is well placed to help launch and execute efforts to establish our islands as a world-class destination for cultural celebrations,” said USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte.

The Department of Tourism has already launched a recruitment drive to fill positions in the new division, including a permanent director of festivals and a director of the Cultural Heritage Institute.

The new Division will “plan and implement several activities, ranging from organizing events to rolling out an aggressive marketing campaign,” according to a statement.

The USVI celebrates three major events: the Crucian Christmas Festival, the VI Carnival in St Thomas and the St John Festival.

Each event features beauty pageants, music concerts, sporting events and food fairs.

— CJ

The post USVI Tourism Launches Division of Festivals appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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