By the Caribbean Journal staff

It’s one of the most anticipated airport redesigns in the Caribbean in recent years, and now Saint Lucia’s landmark redevelopment of its Hewanorra International Airport is moving forward.

The project is now progressing into its final design and approval stages, according to a statement from the government.

“After years of strategic planning, revision and modification of plans, we are excited to be in the process of executing the blueprint,” said Daren Cenac, acting general manager of the Saint Lucia Air and Seaports Authority.

And that now includes an architect.

The government has tapped leading architectural firm CBRE | Heery to lead the redevelopment efforts.

CBRE | Heery has worked on a number of projects, from Atlanta’s Hartfield-Jackson International Airport to the North Terminal Development at Miami International Airport, among others.

“It is an absolute pleasure to be entrusted with delivering the new hub which will be the Hewanorra International Airport,” the firm said in a statement. “We understand the unique aspects of this project and we are excited to continue our working relationship with the very knowledgeable staff of SLASPA during this important design and construction stage.”

The estimated $100 million project will include the construction of a new terminal building with modern facilities, eateries, shopping and VIP lounges.

The existing Hewanorra terminal will be adapted for use by fixed-base operators.

Officials say the project plans will be unveiled in the “coming weeks.”

Saint Lucia’s Hewanorra International Airport is located in Vieux Fort on the southern tip of the island.

— CJ

The post Saint Lucia Airport Redesign Pushing Ahead appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Antigua and Barbuda’s cruise sector is seeing a surge in traffic, and officials are “buoyant” about what’s ahead in 2019.

“The 2018 cruise tourism’s performance was an historic achievement,” said Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez. “It is the best result in the annals of our history in the cruise tourism business.”

Indeed, Antigua welcomed 792,873 visitors last year.

And with an average spend of $79 per passenger, that represented almost $63 million injected into the destination’s economy last year.

Fernandez said much of the growth could be attributed to the $30 million project to upgrade the port of St John’s back in 2016.

Now, Antigua’s government has signed a memorandum of agreement with Global Ports Holding to negotiate a long-term concession for cruise port operations.

“The agreement will also see the construction of a number of new retail outlets in the project area,” Fernandez said. “Ad GPH will also be investing in the material upgrade of the St. John’s Port including the construction of a new pier that will allow the port to handle Oasis-class ships.”

The post Antigua’s Cruise Sector Is Surging appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Spanish hotel chain H10 has launched construction on a 1,000-room hotel project in Jamaica.

It will be the first-ever Jamaica hotel for the chain, which has a heavy presence in Cuba, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Work has already begun in Falmouth on the first 500 rooms of the estimated $250 million project, which will be called the Ocean Coral Spring Hotel.

The news comes a little over a month after H10 opened its most recent Caribbean resort, a 618-room property in the Dominican Republic, the Ocean El Faro in Punta Cana.

Later this year, it will debut another Punta Cana resort called El Beso. 

“The Government continues to champion investment for the revitalization of existing tourism assets and the creation of new tourism infrastructure across the island,” said Jamaica Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.

Spanish firms have had a massive impact on Jamaica’s tourism development in recent years.

The new Excellence in Trelawny.

“Based on my many meetings with Spanish hotel interests, I know we share the importance of tourism and development,” Bartlett said. “We look forward to the contribution that H10’s properties will make to the sustainable growth of Falmouth’s tourism, your integration into the town and the linkages you will foster with our business community.”

It’s also another signal of the growing allure of Jamaica’s Trelawny parish, the next parish east of the country’s traditional hub of Montego Bay.

The area has seen significant hotel investment in recent years, with projects by brands including Royalton, Excellence Group — and more than 6,000 rooms in development in the wider area.

The post Jamaica’s New $250 Million Hotel Project appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Bermuda tourism is as strong as it has been in years, according to new data from the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

The island saw an 11.7 percent increase in leisure air arrivals in 2018, with a total of 770,700 total visitor arrivals last year.

That represented the third straight year of what the tourism authority called “economic comeback and uninterrupted growth.”

“By every imaginable definition, Bermuda’s tourism industry is on a sustained path of recovery,” said Kevin Dallas, Bermuda Tourism Authority’s chief executive. “Our team put together a totally fresh tourism approach in 2014 and 2015. Stakeholders believed in our vision and helped build on the new foundation. That two-step process is the reason the country’s tourism has progressed so impressively.”

Last year saw a record-breaking number of total vacationers for a second consecutive year, marking the highest number of leisure air arrivals to Bermuda since 2002.

Total visitor spending into Bermuda’s economy climbed past $500 million, while cruise passenger arrivals jumped 34 percent during non-summer months, the BTA said.

“These stellar results represent real men and women in Bermuda’s hospitality industry who have seen positive impacts on their lives – whether they own a small business or call someone else the boss,” Dallas said.

— CJ

The post Another Solid Year For Bermuda Tourism appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico