By Dana Niland

The island of St Kitts is seeing a full-fledged tourism boom, according to the latest numbers from the country’s Ministry of Tourism.

St Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport saw a 14.5 percent increase in tourism arrivals in the first four months of the year compared to the first three months of 2018, one of the fastest growth rates in the Caribbean.

It’s the product of a concerted effort to position the island as a new Caribbean hotspot — and to attract crucial new airlift in the process.

“This is a clear indication that our strategy is succeeding,” said St Kitts Tourism Minister Lindsey Grant, who said the destination has been pushing to grow airlift from “key gateways” in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Caribbean region.

Cockleshell Bay in St Kitts.

St Kitts is also targeting Chicago and Boston as new gateways, while the destination will next week receive its first-ever flight on American Airlines from Dallas-Fort Worth.

The growth comes as the island has become a new luxury hotspot in the region, led by the renowned Park Hyatt St Kitts and the eco-luxe Belle Mont Farm hotel.

Travelers are increasingly looking to St Kitts and its sister island of Nevis for their hard-to-match combination of small-island charm, boutique hotels and pristine natural environments.

Nevis.

Are you planning to visit St Kitts and Nevis? Check out St Kitts’ beach bar capital and a look at the best places to stay in Nevis.

— CJ