By the Caribbean Journal staff

Riu has taken its Pool Party concept to the heart of Punta Cana.

The global all-inclusive giant has expanded its adults-only event concept to a spot opposite Punta Cana’s Riu Bambu hotel in the Dominican Republic.

The weekly events consist of themed parties with live music, international DJs, stages and four bars, including poolside and snack bars.

Guests at five Riu properties in Punta Cana will have access to the parties, including the Riu Bambu, Riu Naiboa, Riu Palace Bavaro, Riu Palace Macao and Riu Palace Punta Cana, the company said.

The concept will include four different parties, from a Greek-style White Party to something called a “Jungle Party” with “adventure” themes.

The concept was first launched at the Riu Santa Fe in Mexico last year.

— CJ

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

WestJet’s low-cost carrier, Swoop, has completed its newest Mexico flight launches.

The carrier officially began operating its new route from Abbotsford International Airport in Canada to Mazatlan International Airport.

The new service comes after Swoop launched three other new routes this month: new flights to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta out of Hamilton, Ontario, along with service from Abbotsford to Puerto Vallarta.

“Mexico is a popular travel destination for Canadians, with over 1.9 million visitors annually,” said Karen McIsaac, Senior Advisor of Communications at Swoop. “This additional route to Mazatlán complements our Cancun and Puerto Vallartadestinations as top choices to frequent and is the perfect opportunity for travellers to experience choice when it comes to affordable air travel.”

The new Mazatlan flights are running twice per week on Thursdays and Sundays.

Flights from Abbotsford to Puerto Vallarta are running on Mondays and Saturdays, while Hamilton-Puerto Vallarta flights are running on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The flights to Cancun are operating on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays.

— CJ

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“People usually opt to preserve their communities and ties to the land, even if it means living in harm’s way,” points out Eric Klinenberg, a sociologist at N.Y.U. whose specialty is social resilience. “They have seen enough projects go wrong to suspect …

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Two resorts (and a private island) have been listed for sale in The Bahamas — and they’re all on up-and-coming Cat Island.

Nassau-based real estate brokerage firm Engel & Volkers Bahamas has listed the three properties for sale, including the Fernandez Bay Village, the Greenwood Beach Resort and the private-island Hawks Nest Cay at the island’s southwestern tip.

Fernandez Bay and Greenwood have each been family run for decades, while the 40-acre Hawks Nest Cay is a vacant island with one mile of linear waterfront.

Greenwood Beach in Cat Island.

The concurrent listings of these properties could potentially be transformative for the island, home to miles of untouched beaches, some very cool history and the highest point in The Bahamas, among other features.

The island has increasingly been on the radar of in-the-know travelers in recent years, drawn to the undiscovered charm of the Out Islands of The Bahamas.

It will soon get another boost when Silver Airways launches its new service from Fort Lauderdale to Cat Island in February.

Old Bight Beach is the most famous stretch of sand on Cat Island.

“The Bahamas is perfectly positioned for the changes that are taking place internationally and these properties on Cat Island check all the boxes, including; niche market experiences, the layout of the resorts cater to both the hotel customer and the vacation rental market, the trend is larger vacation homes for families and groups of friends and these resorts offer a ‘rent the entire property’ opportunity,” said Colin Lightbourn, license partner and real estate advisor for Engel and Volkers. “Collectively the properties can also fill a void on the island by creating new amenities and experiences for each other.”

While they have been listed at the same time, all three properties are listed separately.

They’re collectively priced under $6 million, according to the company.

— CJ

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Antigua and Barbuda continues to see booming tourism growth.

The beach-filled twin-island destination reported 268,949 stayover arrivals in 2018, an 8.75 percent increase over 2017 that was one of the highest growth rates in the Caribbean region.

Combined with cruise passenger arrivals, the destination welcomed more than one million visitors in 2018.

Galley Bay in Antigua.

“A record setting year for Antigua and Barbuda,” said Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez.

Cruise arrivals totaled 792,873 passengers, while yacht arrivals numbered 19,543, according to just-released data.

“We have had a very strong year of growth,” Fernandez said. “Very early in 2018, the teams were tasked with re-grouping and working more strategically to attract more stayover visitors to the destination.”

The Pineapple Beach Club in Antigua.

Indeed, the 2018 stayover figures surpassed totals for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, Fernandez said.

That included a comeback for the island of Barbuda, which saw the reopening of its top boutique hotel, the Barbuda Belle.

“Our teams were relentless and our tourism performance for 2018 has been exceptional,” he said.

Hermitage Bay.

That was buoyed by very strong growth from the Canadian market — which saw a 66 percent increase in arrivals.

The United States market, the primary source of travelers to Antigua and Barbuda, saw 8 percent growth.

Growth from the United Kingdom was largely flat, with officials citing the “uncertainties of Brexit that have suppressed outbound travel from the UK.”

A new “glamping” style retreat in Antigua.

“We are optimistic about another year of growth for 2019, with the destination expected to benefit further from upgrades to our tourism infrastructure, new room stock and airlift,” said Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

The growth has come as Antigua has become one of the Caribbean’s hottest destinations for hotel investment, with a wave of new brands on the way, from Waldorf Astoria to Rosewood.

Royalton will soon open a new all-inclusive on the island, while Elite Island Resorts is planning to debut a new luxury adults-only resort as well this year.

— CJ

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