Destinations
Barbados Bound: Venturing Beyond The Beaches
It’s 6:00 a.m. — earlier than most people would get up while on vacation in the Caribbean — but the beach is already lined with a dozen people. That’s because those who wake up early enough can watch as horses from one of the oldest racetracks in the Americas take a morning dip in Carlisle Bay, Barbados. The crowd watches attentively as the horse trainers and groomers go in and out of the water. Some horses remain close to the shore so people can pet them but others swim off into the distance. “I didn’t know horses could swim,” a young onlooker told his mom. The...
Tourism Is Booming In Jamaica
The sound you hear is Jamaica’s tourism industry celebrating, as business is booming. In 2022, the island welcomed over 3.3 million visitors – a 117% increase over 2021. Gross foreign exchange earnings for the year totalled over USD $3.6 billion, representing a 71.4% increase as compared to 2021 and on par with 2019 levels. Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett said that: “The fact that Jamaica continues to outpace visitor arrivals and earnings projections is a testament to the resilience and unwavering appeal of the island’s tourism product as well as the excellent...
Visit Lauderdale Welcomes Everyone Under The Sun
Travel trade types received a warm Fort Lauderdale welcome at an intimate dinner and briefing in Toronto last week, hosted by Visit Lauderdale and a number of area hotels. On a bright, sunny Toronto evening, Tracy Vaughan, senior vice president, global trade development for Visit Fort Lauderdale, couldn’t help but note that it was weather that was ‘just like’ the weather that will greet Canadian visitors to Fort Lauderdale. Vaughan told the group of 20 or so, that she was glad to be back in Toronto after the enforced separation that the pandemic had caused. As for Paul...
Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek Makes It New
Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek in Martinique will be undergoing extensive renovations highlighting significant changes to the rooms, reception area, main restaurant, and bar slated for Fall 2023. The property originally opened in 1969, making it the first Club Med village to open in "the Americas.” Tucked away in the large coconut groves of Martinique facing Diamond Rock, this French Caribbean resort stands out along the beautiful coastline surrounded by turquoise waters and offers its guest new Creole adventures through culinary experiences and cultural activities. Guests will...
Cuba Invites The Trade To A Memorable Event
The Cuba Tourist Board and Marinas Marlin in Cayo Guillermo are inviting travel industry personnel to the IX International Sport Fishing Tournament 2023. The Jardines del Rey Big Game Trolling Tournament will take place in Cayo Guillermo, Cuba, from Oct. 25 to 30, 2023. The fishing area will be up to 5 miles to the North-Northeast between Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo, which is a rich fishing area in the Old Channel of the Bahamas, where a wide range of species abound, among them Peralgic and billfishes, such as the Fantail, Casteros, White Marlin, Wahoo, and Dorados. The dates...
Air Canada Vacations Offering More Options To Saint Lucia
Air Canada Vacations is offering more options to Saint Lucia with a selection of vacations packages for every budget and travel style to Saint Lucia this summer and fall. Saint Lucia offers visitors tasty local cuisine, dozens of beaches, the chance to explore lush rainforests, take a dip in refreshing waterfalls, soak in hot Sulphur Springs and indulge in locally-inspired spa treatments. Nino Montagnese, Vice President of Air Canada Vacations, said that: “With Air Canada being the only Canadian airline to offer daily flights from Toronto to Saint Lucia this coming winter, we are...
Exceeding Expectations
If you were wondering why Donovan White was smiling during his recent mid-June visit to Canada, wonder no longer. The Jamaica Tourist Board’s director of tourism was well pleased by the rebound of the Canadian market to the popular Caribbean destination during the first quarter of 2023. White told Travel Courier that to the end of March, Jamaica had welcomed 177,000 Canadian visitors, almost doubling the 95,000 Canadians it had received during the same period in 2022. That huge, first quarter upswing sees Canada accounting for a 15% market share of Jamaica’s visitors, which...
Caribbean ConnEX2023 Is Coming To Canada
VoX International in collaboration with several Caribbean tourist boards and hotel groups have produced Caribbean ConnEX Canada taking place on Nov. 1, 2023. Susan Webb, President VoX International, said: “The Caribbean has long been a favourite for Meetings and Incentive Planners. This event is specially designed to bring together Caribbean suppliers and Canadian meeting and incentive planners to promote travel to the Caribbean.” Caribbean ConnEX Canada 2023 will offer a full day of education, networking, and Caribbean style entertainment, intended to connect representatives...