By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

One of the Caribbean’s fastest-growing destinations is continuing its surge into 2018.

Grenada recorded total arrivals of 100,654 for January 2018, an increase of more than 30 percent over January 2017.

In addition, all visitor categories reflected an increase including stay-over, at 31,815 visitors, an increase of 13 percent; cruise, at 82,797 visitors, up by 37 percent; and yachting, at 4,042 visitors, up by 43 percent.

“We are delighted with the performance and everyone on the ground is enjoying the results of the hard work by all the Tourism stakeholders,” said CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority, Patricia Maher. The excitement with the opening of Silversands Grenada later this year is palpable as it is the first hotel development on Grand Anse Beach in over 25 years.”

“Work is also progressing on the Kimpton, Kawana Bay, another hotel development on Grand Anse Beach, which will be open in 2019,” she continued. We will grow our room stock by 32% in the next two years which will lead to increased capacity to almost 3,000 licensed and certified rooms by the Grenada Tourism Authority.”

With 16 percent growth in arrivals from the U.S. market in 2017 over the prior year, and U.S. market share at an all-time high of 46 percent, this performance data drew the interest of U.S.-based airlines.

GTA is forecasting a six percent growth in total visitor arrivals performance for the year.

Grenada was named by Caribbean Journal as Caribbean Destination of the Year in its 2017 Caribbean Travel Awards.