Puerto Rico may not be able to … Medical Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico, my staff were struck by … .
About 9,000 veterans in Puerto Rico live with post-traumatic stress … to home and infrastructure in Puerto Rico, but very little of those …
Powered by WPeMatico
By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor
Bahamas Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is urging regional leaders to explore new ways to grow tourism in the Caribbean — with the use of data chief among them.
Minnis, the Bahamas’ Prime Minister and representative for tourism in CARICOM’s “cabinet,” met with Saint Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and a number of Caribbean tourism ministers this week ahead of a special Caribbean Tourism Organization Council of Tourism meeting.
“Prime Minister Chastanet and I challenged CARICOM ministers of tourism to develop a strategy paper on how member countries might use the resources presently available to us to execute research,” he said. “It is only through the use of empirical data that we will be able to effectively implement marketing and productive development strategies that will improve our tourism products and better the lives of our citizens.”
The CTO acts as the region’s tourism development agency, whose vision is to “position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year-round, warm weather destination.”
While marketing the region has always been a major pillar of the organization’s mandate, regional leaders are now suggesting that the CTO expand its research arm and make data collection and analysis a priority.
Bahamas Minister of Tourism, Dionisio D’Aguilar, said Caribbean countries must work together to improve tourism in the region.
“The plan is for the CTO to develop a first in class entity that would generate tourism data to help better inform decisions related to tourism,” D’Aguilar said. “Some countries feel they are working from insufficient data that is not in the best interest of their products.”
Bahamas Tourism Director General, Joy Jibrilu, said she was excited by the plan.
“The right research and data provided by the CTO would be extremely valuable to the Bahamas, not only for planning purposes in the Ministry of Tourism, but to the Department of Statistics, the Central Bank of The Bahamas and international agencies,” she said.
Jibrilu noted that while the Ministry of Tourism in The Bahamas has a strong statistics collection system, additional data provided by the CTO would help to provide even more useful and in-depth information, such as determining specific visitor spends and how that contributes to the overall economy.
— CJ
The post Bahamas Urges Caribbean on Data-Fueled Tourism Growth appeared first on Caribbean Journal.
Powered by WPeMatico
By Alexander Britell
Luxe private resorts. Sparkling, untouched beaches. Volcanoes. Spectacular sailing.
And you haven’t heard of it?
For years, St Vincent and the Grenadines has been something of a secret corner of the Caribbean, a rarefied section of the region for travelers with the intrepidity and the means to reach a destination that many ways hidden away from the travel radar.
But that is changing.
St Vincent and the Grenadines is seeing a very strong improvement in visitor arrivals in 2019, according to new data released by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority.
Air arrivals for the first five months of 2019 grew by 7.1 percent, with a total of 36,757 in the period, according to the organization, one of the faster growth rates in the Caribbean.
That’s very positive news for a destination that has long been something of a closely-guarded secret in the Caribbean, due to its decades-long lack of an international airport.
In 2017, that changed, however, with the modern new Argyle International Airport, which means St Vincent is now accessible via nonstop flights from the United States and Canada.
The growth has come in large part thanks to the opening of the destination’s new Argyle International Airport, which has been seeing a steady increase in new airlift from carriers like American Airlines and Air Canada. (The entry of the Mandarin Oriental brand to the destination didn’t hurt, either).
The Canadian market was responsible for the most growth, with a 16.9 percent increase in stayover visits from Canada; the US market grew by 11.4 percent.
St Vincent’s growth should increase further in December, when American Airlines is planning to launch a second weekly flight to St Vincent on Wednesdays, complementing existing Saturday service.
That’s a very strong endorsement from American, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more carriers follow suit.
It’s all adding up to a higher profile for the archipelago in the southern Caribbean filled with a diverse mix of destinations from funky, charming Bequia to a host of private resorts like Petit St Vincent, Palm Island and Canouan (the latter is home to the aforementioned Mandarin Oriental, the first-ever MO in the Caribbean).
The Mandarin Oriental, Canouan.
St Vincent’s stayover growth was accompanied by 7 percent growth in cruise arrivals, with a total of 158,233 cruise passengers visiting St Vincent and the Grenadines in the same period.
St Vincent and the Grenadines has long been a top yachting destination in the Caribbean, and that sector also reported strong growth of 7.6 percent, with a total of 37,926 yacht visitors in the first five months of 2019.
And very quietly, St Vincent and the Grenadines is becoming a burgeoning Caribbean hotspot.
— CJ
The post St Vincent and the Grenadines, A New Caribbean Hotspot appeared first on Caribbean Journal.
Powered by WPeMatico
… SHOWS 4% DROP IN PUERTO RICO POPULATION SINCE MARIA
“Puerto Ricans who are trying … , the suit said.
POAT-MARIA PUERTO RICO MIGRATION RESHAPES CENTRAL FLORIDA
The … pending.
In addition to scrutinizing Puerto Rico-born applicants, the department makes …
Powered by WPeMatico
By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor
After 18 months of renovations and rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Irma, St Maarten’s Sonesta Maho Beach Resort is debuting upgraded facilities, amenities and new entertainment programs.
In short, St Maarten’s top family resort is back.
In addition to a new contemporary look throughout the resort, the destination’s leading family resort has relaunched its Beach House Kids Club and Aqua Park, with two new waterslides for ages 10-15, a whole new cast of Beach House characters along with the new Teen Zone.
The resort’s family-oriented concept include walkabout events; junior fitness; a dedicated children-only Beach House Kids Club designed for ages 3 to 12; character experiences with the Beach House Crew and the main event – the interactive kids show, “Beach House Live!”
The Beach House Kids Club features 1,000 square-feet of indoor space and a 2,500 square-foot outdoor area with a playground.
Adjacent is the 4,000 square-foot Aqua Park with a kid’s pool, featuring three aquatic themed slides and a spacious pool deck with loungers and umbrellas creating an environment for families to share quality time and fun under the sun.
The Teen Zone is packed with the latest entertainment and games including air hockey; foosball; table tennis/Ping-Pong; crazy golf; a cinema-style TV media room with PlayStation, Wii and Xbox and features a Social Suite for the cool crowd where teens can snap, tag and share all of their experiences virtually.
The dedicated Teen Zone events program will also include GoPro sessions, Shake Night, BBQ beach parties roasting marshmallows under the stars, movie nights and backstage passes to VIP parties.
Everything about the Teen Zone is focused on social interaction, ensuring everyone connects and has a great trip.
So what about the rest of the resort?
The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort has a number of restaurants and bars including the al fresco Palms Grill with Lava Rock dining; buffet offerings at Ocean Terrace; Napoli Pizzeria + Paninoteca; à la carte dining at The Point; pub grub at the Ascot Pub & Sports Bar and Asian specialties at Jing’s Kitchen.
The Oasis Pool has two new waterslides for kids, and the popular Oasis Swim Up Bar is back with poolside fun making it the lively center for resort activities.
The resort also added a new room category, The Loft Suites, featuring ocean views, balconies, an elevated bedroom with a king bed and a sitting area located beneath with pullout sofa, providing privacy for parents and space for the kids.
Other family-friendly features include connecting rooms, One Bedroom Suites with separate living rooms and pullout sofas and complimentary cribs available on request.
It all adds up to a new, even better version for what has long been one of St Maarten’s most popular places to stay, complementing the adults-only Sonesta Ocean Point.
For more, visit the Sonesta Maho in St Maarten.
— CJ
The post What’s New at St Maarten’s Top Family Resort appeared first on Caribbean Journal.
Powered by WPeMatico
