Dale Pusching of the Anguilla Tourist Board
Repping Jamaica: Raquel Queensborough & Emily Armstrong
Cuba boosters Karen Puebla, Gustavo Rodriguez & Nieves Ricardo
Where better to get all the goods on what’s new in the Caribbean than at Caribbean Tourism Week in Toronto? During the course of their marketplace, I had a great opportunity to “speed date” with participating islands to get a snapshot of what’s new under the sun.
Barbados is pretty jazzed that the opening of Sandals is approaching. The former Almond Casuarina on the south coast is being primed for its 2015 debut. And for clients who are fans of the U.K. TV show Top Gear, Barbados is the 1st island to be featured on the program which showcases high performance cars along with lots of laughs and testosterone.
Lots of news from Jamaica: new hotel openings include the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall; the Melia Jamaica; Hotel Riu Palace Jamaica and the Azul Sensatori Jamaica (Karisma’s 1st property outside Mexico). Plans have also been unveiled for a Vegas-style casino resort for Montego Bay.
St. Lucia has a lovely-sounding new hotel opening this August: the Capella Marigot Bay. Featuring just 122 rooms and 3 restaurants, 2 bars, 3 pools and a marina, the resort will serve your clients any way they want: All-inclusive, EP or CP. Also, St. Lucian Nina Compton, a runner-up on Top Chef, is now acting as the island’s culinary ambassador. The tourist board’s Alison Theodore is reminding agents to participate in the new Piton Awards and they can win a monthly prize of $500 cash plus $500 marketing fund.
Segue tours are a new attraction in St. Kitts, along with another new property, the ultra luxurious Kittitian Hills Hotel & Villas, slated to open on the island’s north side in December.
And in Cuba? New hotels too with the arrival of the Malia Jardines del Ray; the Cayo Coco Pullman and Cayo Santa Maria Valentin Perla Blanca. Also, Canjet will be serving the island 12 times weekly this winter.
In Anguilla, the iconic Malliouhana (malley-oo-hana) Resort will be reopening November 1st under the umbrella of Auberge Resorts. No doubt the property’s numerous fans, many of who returned faithfully for decades, will be thrilled.
And if your clients are dreaming about a villa vacation but don’t know quite where? Why not check out Blue Sky Luxury? They have a portfolio of over 250 villas on 7 islands including Antigua, Jamaica, St. Barts and St. Martin. From 1 to 10 bedrooms: perfect for a small incentive group, wedding or multi-generational family trip.
