Win for Nonsuch Falls
Nonsuch Falls in Portland, which offers adventure tours and nature experiences to the tallest waterfall in Jamaica, has won a product development award from the charitable initiative ‘Big Up Small Business’. And there’s more to come! Nonsuch Falls beat out six...
Dominica joins Airbnb digital nomads campaign
Dominica has joined the Airbnb "Live and Work Anywhere" campaign to promote the destination to the growing number of digital nomads worldwide. The island will be promoted through a landing page that provides details about the digital nomad programme, and also...
Caribbean Airlines adds flights
Starting July 1, 2022, customers traveling out of Kingston, Jamaica now have more options for travel with the introduction of service to Orlando, Florida. The nonstop, return flights between Norman Manley International (KIN) and Orlando International (MCO) airports...
Jamaica eyes Arabian market
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has successfully concluded a busy second day at the 2022 edition of Arabian Travel Market. High profile travel trade professionals including leading tour operators, travel agents, aviation partners, industry stakeholders as well as...
Get ready for jobs, says CHTA
As the tourism sector rebounds strongly from the near shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is calling on the region’s “bread and butter” industry to ramp up efforts to be adequately staffed to meet the impending...
Emirates flies into Jamaica
In a historic first for Jamaica and the Caribbean, Emirates Airlines, the largest airline in the Gulf Coast Countries (GCC), is now selling seats to Jamaica. This arrangement opens gateways from the Middle East, Asia and Africa to Jamaica and the rest of the region....
Palate-pleasing Privilege
A visit to Trelawny’s Ocean Eden Bay would not be complete without a delicious meal from the property’s high-end dining option, Privilege Restaurant. Known for its well-prepared gourmet meals, the eatery caters to eager vacationers searching for an exclusive dining...
2,000 jobs for Barbados
Within the coming weeks, the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) will partner with Royal Caribbean to host a national job fair to identify workers for almost 2,000 jobs. It will be just in time for the upcoming winter season. The date for the employment fair will be...
BLUEPRINT for sustainability
A landmark MOU signed between Jamaica and Saudi Arabia is seen as a vital step, at the United Nations level, in crafting a blueprint for developing sustainable tourism on a global level. The agreement, inked by the two countries’ tourism ministers, Edmund Bartlett...
Let’s talk recovery
Tourism Minister for Jamaica, Edmund Bartlett has called for a full debate at the United Nations and relevant agencies on the challenges to tourism recovery, with a focus on resilience-building through funding for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) that are highly...
Frontier adds 4 Caribbean routes
Just in time for summer, Frontier Airlines will add four new routes to the Caribbean. They will all be out of Tampa. As of June 23 the discount carrier will operate daily, year-round service to San Juan, competing against the daily service of Southwest, JetBlue and...
10,000 more trees
The Sandals Foundation plans to plant another 10,000 trees to strengthen the Caribbean’s climate resilience and food security. The massive conservation effort is in keeping with this year’s global Earth Day theme, “Invest in Our Planet”, and builds on the Foundation’s...
Bartlett makes global travel hall of fame
In a first for the Caribbean, Jamaica’s Minster of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has been inducted into the Global Travel Hall of Fame. The award recognises the highest achievers in the travel, hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors. Inductees are also hailed as having...
The Brits are back
With 18,000 British visitors — 3,000 more than usual — travelling to Jamaica in February, the country seems on track to welcome 200,000 Brits by year end, part of the 3.2 million visitors expected overall in 2022. “This record number of British nationals to Jamaica is...
St Elizabeth’s treasure: THE HENZELL SIBLINGS
Building on two generations of work that’s made Treasure Beach world famous, the Henzell siblings, Jason and Justine, have even bigger plans as they continue to create — as film-maker Justine puts it — “experiences that really bring pleasure to people’s lives”. Their...
Mother-son trailblazing duo at Beaches Negril
On a typical workday at the all-inclusive, family-friendly Beaches Negril resort, Maxine Hamilton-Whyte and Neiko Hamilton-Tucker can be seen enjoying each other’s company while on their break. Those who don’t know them may think they’re just good friends, but the...
VIP sisters keep it professional
They travel to and from work together, happily chatting away as sisters do. But once Jullian and Peta Gay Henry get to work, it’s all about professionalism. Peta Gay, a receptionist, addresses her sister as Ms Henry, a nod to her role as director of operations. For...
First look: Eden Bay
Four months after opening its doors, H10 Hotels’ Ocean Eden Bay is doing a masterful job of living up to the hype. With 444 exclusive suites available, the all-inclusive adults-only resort discretely tucked away in the western parish of Trelawny offers a luxurious and...
Tourism Links: Craft vendors benefit from SRI’s artisan project
Many years ago, executives at Sandals Resorts International (SRI) opened their doors to local craft men and women through the SRI’s Caribbean Artisan Programme. In a nod to SRI’s late Chairman Gordon ‘’Butch’’ Stewart’s strong belief in the importance of supporting...
CHTA looks to boost tech skills
Recognising that being tech-savvy in today’s rapidly changing and challenging business environment is central to a robust tourism rebound in the Caribbean, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has inked a deal that will allow members to access finance...
Full recovery for cruise by 2023 — study
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has shared new findings demonstrating the cruise industry’s resilience. The study, unveiled at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami, predicts the sector to recover and surpass 2019 levels by the end of 2023. “As the industry...
TEF grants $21m to craft traders
IN a bid to ensure that they were prepared to make the most of the winter tourist season which ends on April 30, the Tourism Linkages Network (TLN) recently distributed more than 600 grants valued at approximately $21 million to craft traders in 14 craft markets...
Jamaica hunts 8,000 new hotel rooms
Elated by the rate at which Jamaica’s tourism industry is recovering from the devastating COVID-19 fallout, Jamaica Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, is all set to embark on a global marketing tour to boost visitor arrivals. At the end of the blitz in October,...
Battle of the chefs
For one entire month, 15 cooks and chefs at Sandals Negril put their skills to the test in an event dubbed Make the Same. It was a great way to hone their skills and bring team members even closer together. Divided into eight groups, they were challenged each week to...
SRI’s big plans for St Lucia
More rooms, more stunning beachfront views and more luxury are on the cards for Sandals properties in St Lucia in 2023. Those were some of the highlights Sandals Resorts International (SRI) provided during a recent glimpse into its forward-looking St Lucia investment...
WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE: Blue Mahoe’s Taneisha
After 15 years of working in the hospitality industry as a bartender and waitress, it's no surprise that Taneisha Allen’s wealth of knowledge has guests coming back to the Blue Mahoe Restaurant at Negril’s Ocean Cliff Hotel. However, she says with a grin, her journey...
3 mouthwatering meals at Blue Mahoe Restaurant
The Blue Mahoe Restaurant at Ocean Cliff Hotel is one of Negril’s best kept secrets. Situated along the West End cliffs, Blue Mahoe provides diners with not only a breathtaking ocean view, but also world-class international and local cuisine. The great reviews shared...
COMING SOON: 7-day Jamaica cruises?
Long-championed efforts to capitalise on Jamaica being the only Caribbean destination with so many ports of call seem to be paying off. It appears that weeklong Jamaica-only cruises could soon be a reality. This would see a cruise line creating an itinerary that...
Tenacious Tennille
Loyalty & travel consultant Tennille Rowe has only been a part of the Sandals South Coast family for just under a year but she’s already blazing a trail in her department as the consultant that consistently reaches and exceeds her target on a month-to-month basis....
Airbnb inks MOU with Belize
Airbnb and the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) have signed an MOU initiating a mutual collaboration between both organisations to drive sustainable tourism in Belize through home sharing.The agreement aims to promote Belize as a world-class tourism destination,...
Jamaica gets CDC green light
Jamaica recently got some good news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States: the tourism dependent country has been downgraded to Level 1 in the latest COVID-19 travel advisory. “A Level 1 travel advisory is amongst the best news...
Jamaica targets big spenders
In a bid to attract “big spenders” to the parish of St Thomas, the Government of Jamaica says it will be spending more than US$200 million to develop infrastructure to make it a new prime tourism destination. The initiative is also expected to result in tourism...
Jamaica to get 8,500 new hotel rooms over next five years
A 2,000-room Princess Resort in Hanover, which will become the country’s largest resort, is among 8,500 new rooms that will be built in Jamaica within the next five years. Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, made the disclosure as he opened the 2022/23 Sectoral...
CHTA moving to boost intra-regional travel
Determined to recover the more than US$1 billion in revenue the sector lost because of COVID-19, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) will bring its members together for a two-day virtual discussion on how to boost travel within the region....
Scholarships: cybersecurity & data science
Cybersecurity and data science have been added to the list of scholarships the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will fund this year through its foundation. The move comes in recognition of the increasing use of real-time data as a strategic asset for...
Curaçao Deals
The Curaçao Tourist Board is making it easier than ever for curious travellers to immerse themselves in the destination through the launch of a digital deals portal and there are special offers now available until June 30. Updated seasonally, the site will serve as a...
100+ at Tourism Speed Networking Event
Fifty tourism entities and more than 90 buyers, seeking to take advantage of networking opportunities, participated in Jamaica’s seventh annual speed networking event for the sector. The event featured a series of 15-minute pre-scheduled meetings between managing...
WOMEN IN CHARGE
ON the last day of March, the month when women are celebrated around the globe, LetsTravelCaribbean.com brings you the stories of phenomenal women who are blazing a trail in the tourism industry. Among them: Jennifer Griffith Jennifer Griffith — permanent secretary in...
Miss T’s Kitchen: Anna-Kay Tomlinson
IF only she had the time, Anna-Kay Tomlinson would enrol in cooking school. She even knows which one — Johnson & Wales in Florida, USA. Her urge to formally study cooking may come as a shock to many who know her as Miss T, owner and chef of the Ocho Rios...
Heidi Clarke: Force of nature at Sandals Foundation
Heidi Clarke is a big deal. Not because she’s been the driving force behind an entity that has touched the lives of more than 1.1 million people over the last 13 years, but because she still wants to do so much more. Clarke is executive director of the Sandals...
DIANA MCINTYRE-PIKE: Community tourism advocate
FORTY-FOUR years ago Diana McIntyre-Pike’s passion for the rich cultural practices often found in Jamaica’s rural communities saw her pioneering a more sustainable approach to tourism. Her inspiration came from childhood memories of warmly welcoming guests into her...
Jennifer Griffith, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism
AS she looks towards retiring “very soon”, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, is satisfied that she will leave the industry a lot better than she found it 25 years ago. In fact, when she took the role of tourism planner in 1997 the...
Women in tourism: navigating COVID-19
Women are leaders in tourism and their contribution to the sector has set a solid foundation for years to come. It is important to celebrate and highlight their sustainability initiatives, to empower more women and girls to become equal players in Jamaica’s tourism...
Dunn’s River adds nature walk
Turns out there’s a lot more to Dunn’s River than the famous falls. The celebrated attraction has now added a hike along a trail that’s just shy of two miles long. It’s a chance to explore the lush area above the iconic falls and soak up the rich history of the...
Coffee Fest: 2 more days
There are still a couple more days of the 5th Jamaica Blue Mountain Festival left to enjoy! This year’s staging ends on April 2 with a spectacular festival marketplace on the lawns of the historic Devon House in St Andrew. The event, which began on March 1, has been...
Easier access to Ocho Rios
There will be even easier access to popular tourist spot Ocho Rios, Jamaica, as of this November. That’s when American Airlines will offer two weekly non-stop flights between the Miami International Airport and the Ian Fleming International Airport. The flights,...
Grenada looks to the diaspora
Grenada has one of the most active diaspora communities in the Caribbean. To recognise their unrelenting support and contribution, the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) has launched an incentive program called 473 Connect, targeting the 360,000 1st, 2nd, and 3rd...
$70-m facelift for Devon House Courtyard
As part of a wider push to position Kingston as a gastronomy tourism attraction in Jamaica, ground was broken on March 17 for the renovation of the courtyard at Devon House. The project, which is valued at approximately $70 million, is being implemented by the Tourism...
Bahamas National Trust receives prestigious award
In what may be described as the perfect homage to celebrate the picturesque beauty of the Caribbean and the home of its newly reopened Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, Adam Stewart, has named the Bahamas National...
World Travel Awards in Jamaica June 14
World Travel Awards (WTA) has confirmed it will host its Caribbean & North America Gala Ceremony 2022 at Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica. The leading travel industry figureheads and decision-makers from across the region will attend the red-carpet gala reception on...
Sandals unveils 40 for 40 projects
In partnership with its philanthropic arm, the not-for-profit Sandals Foundation, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) has announced the full list of projects under its 40 for 40 Initiative. Launched as part of Sandals Resorts’ 40th anniversary celebrations, 40...
More nonstop flights to Montego Bay
Continuing to build out its number of available non-stop gateways from the US, Jamaica will be welcoming new non-stop air service by American Airlines from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport (MBJ) starting June...
Voluntour in Grenada
Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) has launched a Voluntourism Programme for visitors seeking to engage with the local community and culture while making a tangible impact. Group of young people cleaning beach area. Volunteer concept This in response to trends which...
Antigua & Barbuda podcast launch
The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority has launched ‘The Beach is Just the Beginning’ – a one-of-a-kind podcast hosted by renowned travel writer and journalist Peter Moore that champions authentic stories from the country. The multi-episode series transports...
Jamaica’s tourism arrivals back at pre-COVID levels
Jamaica’s tourism industry is moving back to where it was before the coronavirus pandemic. Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett made the announcement on March 13 after a tour of the Sangster International Airport in the resort city of Montego Bay. "I am pleased to advise...
Fresh grads for tourism sector
Jamaica’s tourism industry is set to benefit from the skills of 330 graduates of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Programme (HTMP). Approximately 177 students graduated under the pilot programme in 2020 and another 153 will complete their studies later this...
Sandals trains tourism leaders
More than 50 team members, including some from the Sandals Resorts International’s Executive Leadership Team, recently participated in a world-class culinary training and knowledge exchange, part of the luxury resort chain’s continued commitment to leadership...
Anguilla hosts epicurean festival in May
Renowned Chef Jonathan Waxman will be a featured guest chef at the Anguilla Culinary Experience (ACE), a new epicurean festival taking place in Anguilla from May 11 to 15 to benefit culinary education and showcase why the island is known as the Culinary Capital of the...
The trains are coming
In what is expected to be a fillip for Jamaica’s tourism industry, trains could soon start rolling again in the western end of the island. The popular Appleton Estate will be among the stops. “They want to be able to carry tourists from Montego Bay, get into...
CHTA bats for women leaders
Lauding International Women’s Day’s focus on “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Nicola Madden-Greig, said the United Nations theme was particularly apt as COVID-19 wanes in the region...
Sandals execs tour Dom Rep
A tour of the Dominican Republic, by a team from Sandals Resorts International (SRI) which is in full expansion mode, has caught the attention of tourism sector watchers. Led by Executive Chairman Adam Stewart and CEO Gebhard Rainer, members of the SRI Executive...
PATRICE & DERVAL – united in love
WHAT started out as friendship between two co-workers later blossomed into a beautiful union for Patrice Spence-Neish and her husband Derval. The couple’s love story began in 2018 at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay where Patrice works as a hostess and Derval, a...
LOVE STORY – Taneisha & Keron
TANEISHA James-Francis and her husband Keron’s love story will have their future grandchildren entertained for many years to come. Keron and his lovely wife Taneisha. The pair, who met while working in the tourism industry close to a decade ago, have been married for...
Sandals ups the ante on romance
With its recent survey showing that more than half of American women (55 per cent) wish their relationships mirrored those of the couples from their most beloved romance novels, Sandals® Resorts’ Institute of Romance — a newly launched trend-house created by the...
Big tourism budget
More than $500 million has been earmarked for work on several tourism-related projects across Jamaica during the 2022/23 fiscal year. This was disclosed by Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, during the March 1 meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of...
Caribbean Travel Marketplace set for October
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) signature event, Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM), which brings together buyers and sellers of the region’s tourism products, will be hosted by Puerto Rico between October 3 and 5 this year. “The COVID-19 pandemic...
Big tourism budget for creativity & culture
Jamaica’s creative and cultural industries are set to receive a boost, with $31 million in support earmarked in the 2022/2023 tourism budget. Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, in making the disclosure, noted that the creative and cultural industries have...
NEW: Hotel Industry Analytics course
In a nod to the increasing importance of data analytics to the tourism industry, the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) has launched a new certification programme for professionals in the sector. Thirty free places will be offered to industry managers and...
Fall in love with Jamaica’s cuisine
Jamaica definitely punches above her weight in the gastronomy arena, which makes the island’s cuisine rank among her many loves. People are always in awe of the flavours and want to know how they can get the ingredients so that they can replicate the taste in their...
The Spa of Love
BEING able to offer her customers exemplary service has been the highlight of Donna Callow’s days since she established Nasirah’s Spa in Ocho Rios, St Ann, in 2013. Owner of Nasirah's Spa in Ocho Rios, Donna Callow. Callow’s staff, likewise, are keen on making a visit...
To SOBE, with love
Jamaica’s love of creating unique culinary masterpieces is again on show this year at the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF), a four-day gourmet gathering from February 24-27. The event is a collaboration between the...
Christopher’s – the perfect date night spot
AN intimate dining experience at Christopher’s, located on the same property as Hermosa Cove in Ocho Rios, will reignite any lover’s flame. The perfect date night restaurant allows diners to enjoy a romantic candlelight dinner under a gazebo overlooking the pearly,...
Trek into the mountains overlooking Kingston & St Andrew
Beyond the congested streets and sweltering heat in Kingston visitors to Jamaica will find tranquillity, cool temperatures, and nature too fascinating to overlook in the mountains overlooking the capital city. Easily, the journey from Papine to Irish Town in St Andrew...
Sandals Ochi Beach’s Romeo the Butler
Service above self is more than just a mantra but a lifestyle that is lived out daily for the team of butlers at the Sandals Ochi Beach Resort as they acquaint guests with the resorts’ activities that will make their experiences unforgettable. Sandals Resorts boast of...
Appleton Estate Visits Summerhouse Restaurant
Appleton Estate’s Cocktails & Cuisine closed its epic food journey on a decidedly stimulating note at Harmony Hall’s Summerhouse Restaurant in St. Mary! For several weeks, we have followed David Morrison, Senior Blender for Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum, as he...
Appleton Estate Tries Plantation Smokehouse
David Morrison, Senior Blender for Appleton Estate Jamaica Rums, along with his band of discerning foodies, have traversed the island in the past few weeks on a mission to unearth the heart of Jamaica, one meal at a time. From the depths of the Cockpit County to the...
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Dominica joins Airbnb digital nomads campaign
Dominica has joined the Airbnb "Live and Work Anywhere" campaign to promote the destination to the growing...
Caribbean Airlines adds flights
Starting July 1, 2022, customers traveling out of Kingston, Jamaica now have more options for travel with...
Jamaica eyes Arabian market
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has successfully concluded a busy second day at the 2022 edition...
Get ready for jobs, says CHTA
As the tourism sector rebounds strongly from the near shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,...
Your Next Adventure Awaits
Discover the top things to do in Jamaica
First look: Eden Bay
Four months after opening its doors, H10 Hotels’ Ocean Eden Bay is doing a masterful job of living up to the hype. With 444 exclusive suites available, the all-inclusive adults-only resort discretely tucked away in the western parish of Trelawny offers a luxurious and...
SRI’s big plans for St Lucia
by LTC Writer
More rooms, more stunning beachfront views and more luxury are on the cards for Sandals properties in St Lucia in 2023. Those were some of the highlights Sandals Resorts International (SRI) provided during a recent glimpse into its forward-looking St Lucia investment...
GoldenEye Resort one of the 50 most romantic hotels
by LTC Writer
St Mary's GoldenEye Resort has been listed as one of the 50 most romantic hotels in the world by Big7 travel. The resort was once the home of author Ian Fleming who wrote the James Bond novel series. GoldenEye Resort in St Mary. Big7 travel is an international website...
Ocean Cliff’s pivot pays off
by LTC Writer
The newly refurbished Ocean Cliff Hotel — the former Spa Retreat Boutique Hotel — has been attracting the attention of locals since its rebranding. Perched on the beautiful cliffs of West End, Negril, with magnificent sunsets as the main natural attraction, it has...
Pharrell Williams gets happy in the Bahamas
by LTC Writer
Pharrell Williams has announced a new lifestyle and design-forward project with Miami-based hospitality and nightlife entrepreneur David Grutman: Somewhere Else, a new resort that will be part of Atlantis Paradise Island, the world-famous Bahamas destination known for...
Sandals opens new High Grove Village
by LTC Writer
Adam Stewart has opened a new wing at Sandals Royal Caribbean in the tourism resort city of Montego Bay, saying that it is testimony to the all-inclusive chain's strong commitment to Jamaica in which it is investing US$240 million between 2021 and 2022, despite the...