Caribbean Travel Advisor

It’s one of the most iconic resorts in the Caribbean. For years, it was arguably the top private-island destination in the whole region. 

Then the storms came in, and for seven years, it’s been shuttered. 

It’s one of the most anticipated debuts in the Caribbean: the Zemi Miches All-Inclusive Resort in the Dominican Republic. 

Now, the resort finally has an opening date, Caribbean Travel Advisor has learned. 

You can find the voting link for the Caribbean Travel Advisor Awards here. You must be a paying subscriber of Caribbean Travel Advisor to vote.

Voting for the Caribbean Travel Advisor Awards ends on Jan. 4, 2025.

It’s the biggest hotel deal impacting the Caribbean so far this year: Hyatt has entered into a “long term asset-light strategic joint venture” with Bahia Principe-parent Grupo Piñero that will manage Bahia Principe’s branded hotels and resorts and own the Bahia Principe brand. 

So what does it mean for the Caribbean? 

What are the biggest trends in the fast-growing all-inclusive space in the Caribbean right now? 

And what does they tell us about travelers’ current needs and demands? 

While most travel advisors are aware of St. Lucia’s most prominent hotels, many of the island’s smaller properties are picking up steam, particularly those in the increasingly popular Bay Gardens portfolio.

In fact, Richard Moss, senior sales manager for North America for the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, said St. Lucia’s smaller hotels are beginning to gain “cult status with agents.”

Those beaches. If you haven’t been to Aruba, you’re missing out on some of the most spectacular stretches of sand anywhere in the Caribbean: Eagle Beach, Palm Beach, even the rugged, raw beaches like Boca Grandi on the east coast. 

Those beaches still form the core of why your clients will love Aruba – along with one of the friendliest, most comfortable, easy to navigate destinations in the region. 

It’s one one of the most prominent locations on Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos, a destination that has become one of the most sought-after places to visit in the Caribbean right now.

Now one popular Providenciales resort is launching a new program for travel advisors. 

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is bringing his hotel brand to the Caribbean, Caribbean Travel Advisor has learned. 

The new hotel is opening its doors in December as a unique kind of all-inclusive resort concept with a Mediterranean feel.

It’s been a big year for Caribbean hotels, as the region’s pipeline continues to grow — and some major openings already took place, from the new Sandals St Vincent and the Grenadines to the boutique Silversands Beach House in Grenada.

But they’re not alone. There’s more to come in the Caribbean this year, and Caribbean Travel Advisor has you covered with a guide to the next five resorts that will be opening their doors in the Caribbean — all before the end of this year. 

On the heels of its recent Caribbean Showcase event that brought more than 250 advisors to Sandals Royal Curacao, the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) is already looking ahead to next year’s event, planning ways to prepare advisors for the obstacles ahead.

To learn more about the state of the Caribbean, CTA caught up with Zane Kerby, president and CEO of the ASTA, to talk about challenges advisors are facing, the importance of Caribbean business and what’s trending on the client side.

Here’s what he had to say.

Iberostar’s highly-anticipated new adults-only resort in the Caribbean now has an opening date, Caribbean Travel Advisor has learned.

So when is it opening its doors? 

Sandals Resorts International has launched a fall sale for its Sandals and Beaches resorts in the Caribbean. 

The Experience Jamaica sale, which is commissionable for travel agents, includes a $350 air credit on stays of five or six nights. 

The first-ever Antigua and Barbuda Black Pineapple Awards—an initiative that honors and celebrates the outstanding achievements of hard-working travel agents from around the world—is set to take place from December 6 to 8, 2024, in Antigua and Barbuda.  

The event, organized by the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, will bring together over 100 of the destination’s top-producing travel professionals for an exclusive celebration in the twin-island paradise.

It’s the top global network for luxury travel in the world: Virtuoso, the network of top-level travel advisors who focus on high-net-worth clients and preferred partners. 

Whether you’re a Virtuoso agent or not, the network’s trends and practices are essential — they’re a sign of where the luxury travel market is going, particularly in the Caribbean. 

During the third annual American Society of Travel Advisors’ (ASTA) Caribbean Travel Showcase in Curacao, many agents shared the hottest trends currently thriving in the Caribbean.

But one seems to be the biggest, agents told Caribbean Travel Advisor. Here’s what else she had to say about trends, obstacles and the habits of today’s Caribbean traveler. 

The Bahamas is firing on all cylinders. Last year was a landmark year in which the destination welcomed more than 9.65 million visitors, a nearly 33 percent increase over its prior 2019 record. With strong infrastructure and year-round appeal – spanning tourism to real estate – The Bahamas keeps travel agents ever-busy.

At the helm of The Bahamas’ tourism efforts is Latia Duncombe, Director General of The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation. She recently chatted with Caribbean Journal about the latest industry trends, regional happenings and evolving travel clientele.

It’s arguably the most anticipated new luxury resort in the Caribbean, on an island that has largely been a well-kept secret among travelers. 

It’s opening its doors at the beginning of 2025, and it’s already taking bookings, Caribbean Travel Advisor has confirmed. 

One of Saint Lucia’s highest-rated all-inclusive resorts is making a renewed push into the travel agent space, Caribbean Travel Advisor has learned. 

That includes a new travel agent portal, new commissions, booking rewards and new client incentives. 

Sandals has seen tremendous success with its newest resort, Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which opened its doors earlier this spring. 

That comes two years after it debuted its new Sandals Royal Curacao resort, a property that was home to this week’s ASTA Caribbean Travel Showcase event. 

The ongoing third annual American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) Caribbean Travel Showcase at Sandals Royal Curacao put the spotlight on Sandals Resorts International and the island of Curacao — and the evolution of AI.  

Here’s what you need to know.

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) just concluded its third annual Caribbean Travel Showcase in Curacao. More than 260 agents and about 50 suppliers attended the much-anticipated event at the new Sandals Royal Curacao. As part of the event, Caribbean Journal chatted with some of the top Caribbean advisors at the show, including Erin Grandorff, who said online travel agencies are once again affecting business.

Here’s what she said about how OTAs are still impacting advisors and about the latest booking trends.

More than 260 agents attended the ongoing third annual American Society for Travel Advisors (ASTA) Caribbean Travel Showcase event hosted at the new Sandals Royal Curacao.

One of those agents, Roshni Karnavat, an advisor with Cruise Planners, said while she has learned and implemented the latest selling tactics, she still believes social media is the best way to introduce a client to a destination they might not heard of like Curacao, for example.