There’s a lot going on in the Caribbean this year – below is a round-up of news stories, including new brochures, tourism funding and flights.
Check out our feature on 2009/10 deals and incentives for an island-by-island look at current offers.
Funway Holidays launches new Sandals brochure
New for 2010 are the Italian Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos, and the Millionaire Suites at Sandals Regency La Toc, St Lucia (pictured).
Prices start from £902 per person for seven nights at Grand Pineapple Beach Negril. Early booking incentives of 35% discounts are on offer. sandals4agents.co.uk,0844 573 5888
New excursions from Sandals
Sandals and Beaches Resorts has introduced excursions, run by its affiliated company Island Routes. Options, including canopy tours, biking and deep-sea fishing, have been launched in Jamaica, and will be rolled out across St Lucia, Antigua, Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas over coming months. sandals.co.uk, 0800 742742
Tourism boost for St Vincent and the Grenadines
The Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines has secured £4 million of funding to boost tourism. A National Parks Authority has been established, and 20 sites have been earmarked for development.
St Vincent and the Grenadines’ new national airport is scheduled to open in 2011, and will accommodate up to one million passengers a year. Phase one of the five-star Buccament Bay Resort in St Vincent, the first truly all-inclusive option for visitors to the island, will open in March 2010.
Phase two will be completed the following year. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority has launched SubCat Antigua, the island’s first submarine diving tour. It costs $100 per adult, and $70 per child. antigua-barbuda.com, 020 7031 8160
New routes from BA and Virgin
British Airways (BA) is launching a twice-weekly service from Gatwick to Montego Bay, Jamaica (starting at £602 return), and Puntacana, Dominican Republic (from £624 return), on October 25. BA flights from Gatwick to St Lucia and Port of Spain, Trinidad, will increase from three to five a week, while Barbados flights will increase from nine to 10. ba.com, 0844 493 0787
Virgin Atlantic is launching a weekly winter Gatwick-San Juan, Puerto Rico service on November 7, via Antigua. Fares start from £615, including taxes. virgin-atlantic.com, 0844 874 7747
Hotel developments
Barbados’s Crane Resort and Residences opened in February and includes a duty-free shopping centre, conference facility, restaurants and tennis courts.
GoldenEye, Jamaica, is adding a multi-million pound, high-end village to its exclusive resort in Oracabessa, St Mary. Completion of the mixed-use residential and full-service resort is planned for December 2010, and will feature 200 bedrooms over 60 acres.
Two hotels, Bacolet Beach Club and Indigo Bay, have opened in Tobago. The Golden Grove, an integrated hotel and resort project, will open on the island later this summer.
Antigua’s luxury hideaway Jumby Bay will reopen on November 1 following a $35 million renovation, including a new Rosewood Spa.
