Holiday & Travel

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) 41st Caribbean Travel Marketplace is set to take place in Barbados over the next few days, and as someone who is deeply invested in the Caribbean tourism sector, I couldn’t be more excited to be “back home” for this event.

For many of us who work in Caribbean tourism, travel and hospitality, the past few years have been challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the industry, with travel restrictions, border closures, and reduced demand for travel leading to decreased revenues and job losses across the region.

As most travel restrictions connected to the COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted worldwide, commercial air traffic is set to soar to pre-pandemic levels on most routes in 2023, according to UN aviation agency.

So are the air fares. The price of air travel is set to soar this year too, spelling the end of low-cost travel as we know it.

Guests staying in Sandals Royal Curacao‘s Kurason Island Suites and Awa Seaside Bungalows can explore the colourful island of Curacao in a stylish and sporty MINI Cooper as part of their vacation. Curacao is nestled in the heart of the Leeward Antilles on the coast of a tiny beautiful island where natural and cultural wonders connect to create a beautiful mélange unseen anywhere else. Sandals’ newest all-inclusive resort in Curacao is where the natural romance of this intimate island comes alive.

The European Commission launched the 2024 edition of the European Capital of Smart Tourism, as well as the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism competitions; calling for cities to submit their leading examples of smart and sustainable tourism practices in Europe.

Tourism is the EU’s third largest socio-economic activity, representing around 10% of the EU’s GDP. The sector plays a crucial role in generating growth and jobs, but still holds untapped potential – especially in the area of smart and sustainable tourism. Innovation, accessibility, and sustainability are the future of tourism, and the European Commission aims to keep European tourism ahead of the curve.

Jamaican Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has welcomed the announcement by low-cost Norwegian airline Norse Atlantic Airways that it will expand its services to the Caribbean to include Jamaica this winter season. “This service is coming at an opportune time as we seek to diversify the options available to our visitors from the UK, which is our largest European market,” noted Minister Bartlett.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that Jamaica is placing special focus on the world’s most populated country, India, as a nation to pull visitors from in coming years as part of a renewed campaign to diversify Jamaica’s tourist markets as he and his team pound the pavement at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, United Arab Emirates this week. Jamaica gets the bulk of its visitors from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.  

The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) has announced the expansion of its membership, as Bermuda officially re-joins the organisation through a collaborative partnership with the Government of Bermuda and the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA).

With its unique, distinctive attributes, Bermuda further strengthens the organisation’s ability to promote the depth of the Caribbean experience as it seeks to explore new growth opportunities. With Bermuda’s membership, CTO marks yet another milestone in its efforts to expand its reach and influence in the regional tourism sector.

As has become customary, year after year Cuba holds its international tourism fair, FITCuba, which in its 41st edition presents novelties worthy of being disclosed.

Once again, Caribbean News Digital and the Excelencias Group are also present at the major tourism exchange in the largest Antillean Island, covering every relevant event.

The 2023 cruise season at the Port of Montreal got off to a great start this morning with the arrival of Holland America Line’s Zaandam, one of the largest cruise ships that visits the Port of Montreal, with a capacity of 1,440 passengers.

To mark the occasion and honour the 150th anniversary of Holland America Line, a plaque was presented to the captain of the Zaandam, Ane Smit. The season will run until October 30, 2023, and the number of international passengers is expected to exceed 45,000, up nearly 20% more than last year.

The tourism industry's premier event, the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), is just hours away from kicking off formalities with Destination Gold Coast, together with Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), Tourism Australia (TA) and the City of Gold Coast warmly welcoming the delegation atop HOTA Gallery. Approximately 2,500 delegates from more than 30 countries will meet on the Gold Coast this week (30th April-4th May 2023) for the five-day event, bringing businesses together from across the country to promote their products directly to wholesalers, retailers, and media from around the world.

As the arrival of summer draws near, travellers are preparing to embark on journeys to fresh, unexplored locales as well as tried-and-true favourite destinations.

To woo these would-be visitors, many Caribbean hotels and resorts have come to market with special deals and promotions that are too good to pass up. One example is Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau in the Bahamas, which is offering an exceptional savings package for families looking for a fun-filled summer vacation experience.

Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment, The Honourable Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez, has announced the appointment of Vernon A. Jeffers Sr. as the new Chair of the Board of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), effective February 2023. Jeffers succeeds Dr. Lorraine Raeburn who served as the Chairman from January 2018 – January 2023.

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) today shows the Travel & Tourism sector is closing in on its 2019 peak, recovering by more than 95%. In 2023, the sector is forecast to reach $9.5TN, just 5% below 2019 pre-pandemic levels when travel was at its highest. 34 countries have already exceeded 2019 levels. 

Lufthansa is launching new Airbus A380 destinations from Munich in the coming winter. From October 5 on, the airline will be flying again an A380 daily to the Californian metropolis of Los Angeles.

Shortly before the start of the winter flight schedule on October 28, there will be a special premiere: For the first time, a Lufthansa Airbus A380 will take off from Munich to the Thai capital Bangkok, increasing the seat capacity by almost 75 percent compared to the A350.

The Tobago Tourism Agency Limited (TTAL) Tobago continues to reignite global interest in Tobago as a premier holiday destination, partnering with the high-profile UK publications Daily Mail and Evening Standard for a post-COVID resumption of press trips.

In 2020, press trips to Tobago ground to a halt due to travel restrictions. Now that travel and tourism has fully resumed, TTAL recommenced press trip activity in order to attain top tier press coverage for Tobago that lends itself to current travel trends. Alicia Edwards, Executive Chairman of TTAL said:

Even as the development of the parish of Trelawny into a sought-after resort is progressing in earnest, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett is expressing displeasure with the state of sections of the town capital, Falmouth.

Declaring that “we have to fix the town of Falmouth,” Minister Bartlett said a proper public education programme has to be carried out in the town to foster public order.