BELFAST, Northern Ireland: The Leading Hotels of the World annual 2008 guide includes three hotel properties in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Raffles Resort in Canouan Island, Cotton House in Mustique and Petit St. Vincent Resort on Petit St. Vincent are the three properties to attain the prestigious title. read more...

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PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: In a move designed to present its travel and tourism management information and investment opportunities to the local, regional and global marketplace, St Lucia has signed up as a destination subscriber on the new TourismROI website, according to Minister for Tourism, Senator Chastanet. read more...

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To my friend in North Hollywood as well as the misguided people of PETA, regarding the boycott of St Kitts: A boycott of the island does nothing except hurt the people of that great nation. So your misguided anger only affects those who have little or no say in what happens around them. read more...

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MIAMI, USA (AFP): Florida travel agents specializing in Cuba trips are up-in-arms over plans to make them pay more than 100,000 dollars in bonds to fund any probe into irregularities in their dealings with the communist-ruled island. Such agencies currently put up a one-time bond of 25,000 dollars. read more...

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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: A diverse group of experts called for a balance between environmental and economic interests during the 10th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism. They pointed to “the inexorable link” between the seemingly divergent causes of profit and ecological protection. read more...

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HOLGUIN, Cuba (ACN): A 12 percent rise in the number of tourists arriving in this eastern Cuban city of Holguin was achieved during the recently concluded winter season, compared to the same period in 2007, breaking previous records. The tourism industry is a major source of hard currency to the country. read more...

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ABOARD THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEAS (AFP): Sailing into the Oslo fjord, the sheer size of the Independence of the Seas, the latest addition to the largest cruiseship family in the world, makes the other ships look like bathtub toys. The behemoth's hull is roomy enough for 4,375 passengers and 1,360 crew. read more...

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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Caribbean region must adopt aggressive local and regional environmental policies in order to protect itself from the potential impact of climate change on coastal tourism, an international expert on sustainable development and climate change has warned. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI: Governor John deJongh was advised Tuesday by officials of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) that it has included St Croix inthe US Virgin Islands on the itineraries of two of its ships beginning next year. “We have been in discussions with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines since early last year... read more...

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MIRAMAR, USA: Spirit Airlines continues to expand its international route network as the ultra low cost carrier Tuesday announced the addition of another new route from its Fort Lauderdale gateway with non-stop service to Port of Spain, Trinidad, scheduled to begin on June 12, 2008. read more...

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Holiday Systems International’s (HSI) decision to protest Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine’s cruel mutilations and killings of healthy animals by blocking the company’s more than 300,000 clients from booking travel to St Kitts is a serious wake up call to the school and the St Kitts government. read more...

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LAS VEGAS, USA: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently announced a travel boycott of St Kitts over the alleged mutilation and killing of sheep, donkeys, and goats at the island's Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, and on Thursday a major travel agency signed on to the campaign. read more...

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: Seasonal travel to the sister Caribbean island of Puerto Rico is a longstanding ritual for many Caribbean nationals. More often than not, the purpose of these travels is serious business. Over time, Caribbean visitors have become increasingly savvy about the choices. read more...

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Caribbean Web marketing politics cannot escape the already heavily sexually driven signature of Caribbean culture in export. The Internet’s already sexually coated and undergirded pop-up construction makes it an almost ideal location for the playing out of some Caribbean stock symbols. read more...

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GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad, on Thursday announced that three major air carriers Delta Airlines from the United States of America, Zoom Airlines from the United Kingdom and Skyservice Airlines from Canada will be entering the Guyanese market this year. read more...

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: Exclude the Hispanic-American market and you make a huge blunder. Americans of Hispanic descent now spend so much that their buying power is estimated to reach US$1.2 trillion by 2011. Reaching the potent Hispanic-American market is one of the issues under discussion. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA: The Caribbean's positioning as a valuable and viable brand took a major step forward this month with the launch of the Caribbean Tourism Development Company's (CTDC) new consumer travel site. CTDC presented the new site to members of the travel press, describing it as colourful and content-rich. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA: This June's Annual Caribbean Tourism Summit (ACTS) in Washington DC from June 21 to 24 is not only the first such meeting, it also represents the new spirit of collaboration between the Caribbean's public and private sectors and will coincide with June's Caribbean American Heritage Month. read more...

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CURACAO, Netherland Antilles: Divers from all over the world are heading to the 2008 Curacao Dive Festival (May 24 – 31) to experience what Scuba Diving Magazine voted “Healthiest Marine Environment in the Caribbean/Atlantic.”  Divers will learn the tricks of underwater photography and get to swap stories. read more...

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MIAMI, USA (AFP): The global cruise industry is putting on a brave face as it sails into seas darkened by a faltering US economy, a weak dollar and record oil prices, major cruise ship operators said at their annual convention. The triple threat represents serious risks for the industry which has been blessed with dramatic growth, read more...

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NEW YORK, USA: A Caribbean-American brand specialist is assessing the Barbados government's reported drive to attract more international hotel brands to the island. Caroline Racine, Director of Caribbean Franchise Development of Choice Hotels International, welcomed the new government's realisation. read more...

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CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters): Mexican police hunting drug gangs seized a cache of automatic weapons and grenade launchers at a luxury flat in the Caribbean resort of Cancun on Monday, near hotels full of foreign tourists. Police found 22 guns, some with laser sights, 14 grenades and some 500 rounds of ammunition. read more...

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PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Another airline has joined the list of air carriers serving Trinidad and Tobago. Copa Airlines had its inaugural flight between Panama City and Piarco International airport on Monday and its arrival was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the VIP lounge at the airport. read more...

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NASSAU, Bahamas (BIS): Bahamas Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing said that despite the economic challenges facing the Caribbean, the region is still a preferred destination in the global tourism market. He was addressing the Twenty-Fourth Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI: The US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism held a press conference on St Croix on Tuesday to share its new marketing materials with members of the local media. The new materials include a destination DVD and music video, visitors guide and brochures that specifically target the dive and bridal markets. read more...

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BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM): With the 2007/2008 cruise ship season scheduled to bring in over 400,000 passengers to St Kitts and Nevis, it is expected that the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 seasons will be busier. Celebrity Cruises has just announced that its newest ship, the Celebrity Equinox... read more...

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WEST END, Anguilla: Sheriva Villa Hotel in Anguilla has been awarded the prestigious AAA Four Diamond rating for the year 2008. The fundamental hallmarks at this level include an extensive array of amenities combined with a high degree of hospitality, service, and attention to detail. read more...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica: Air Jamaica is increasing its seat capacity from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to both Barbados and Grenada, effective April 1, 2008. The Caribbean carrier will continue to serve the New York-Barbados route with daily non-stop flights. read more...

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LAGOS, Nigeria (AFP): US airline North American Airlines has announced it is suspending flights between the United States and the cities of Georgetown in Guyana, Lagos in Nigeria and Accra in Ghana from May 20. The company was founded in 1989 and operates a fleet of ten passenger planes. read more...

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ST JOHN's, Antigua: Hermitage Bay, Antigua’s newest all-suite luxury boutique resort, was recently ranked in third place in a list of the top ten all inclusive resorts in the world in TripAdvisor’s 2008 Traveller’s Choice Awards. Trip Advisor and its branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world. read more...

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