By the Caribbean Journal staff

It may be far off the radar of most travelers, but Suriname was one of the fastest-growing destinations in the Caribbean Community last year, according to new data from the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

The country on the northern coast of South America (and CARICOM member state) reported a total of 278,035 stayover tourist arrivals in 2017.

That represented an 8.2 percent increase in arrivals, among the highest rates in the Caribbean, according to an analysis by Caribbean Journal.

While it’s still very much an up-and-coming destination, Suriname has carved out a niche in recent years both for its strong eco-tourism product, its diverse food scene, and the emerging urban enter of Suriname’s capital, Paramaribo, home to the recently-renovated Hotel Kransapolsky (top of page).