Why the Caribbean Island of Grenada Is Buzzing Right Now
Pristine, secluded beaches. Sustainable luxury resorts. The Caribbean’s most exciting rum. Travelers are increasingly hip to the wonders of the island of Grenada – and it’s starting to show in a big way.
The Eastern Caribbean getaway is having a banner start to 2024, with tourist arrivals for the first half of the year already up 19 percent, according to newly-released data from analytics firm ForwardKeys.
That makes Grenada the fastest-growing destination in the Eastern Caribbean, and one of the fastest in the wider Caribbean.
It’s a sizzling start for a destination that has been carving out a unique tourism path in recent years, one focused on low-density, sustainable, high-value tourism.
It’s an approach that has led to the debut of sparkling new luxury resorts like the Silversands and Beach House by Silversands, one in the renowned Grand Anse Beach and the other in remote Portici.
More recently, the island welcomed the first-ever Six Senses resort in the Caribbean, a boutique plunge-pool-heavy resort that slid right into the island’s burgeoning identity as a sustainable paradise, with a privileged perch on the stunning sands of La Sagesse Beach.
They have helped to complement what was already an enviable collection of personality-filled, authentic resorts, from the five-star, five-Diamond Spice Island Beach Resort to the beloved Calabash luxury boutique hotel, which just announced an expansion of its own.
But it’s not just the scenery and the resorts.
Grenada has positioned itself as a diverse, culture-rich getaway, from its world-famous chocolate-making culture to its rugged rainforests and a thriving culinary scene, one rooted in local flavors and local producers (like the wonderful Theresa Marryshow, among others).
Grenada even welcomed a James Beard Foundation event last month, gathering together a slate of celebrity chefs for a “culinary symphony” that examined African heritage in Grenadian cuisine.
It all adds up to a destination that has become one of the most fascinating in the region — and the numbers to match.
Grenada just welcomed new nonstop service on JetBlue from Boston to Grenada, with flights on Saturdays.
That’s along with daily nonstop flights out of Miami International Airport on American Airlines and out of New York on JetBlue.
Out of the UK and Canada, Virgin, British Airways, Air Canada and Sunwing all operate flights to the destination.
To learn more, visit Grenada.
Alexander Britell is the founder and editor-in-chief of Caribbean Journal and one of the top experts on Caribbean travel worldwide, with decades of on-the-ground travel to the region and comprehensive knowledge of the entire Caribbean Basin.
