Flights

Southwest Airlines Is Launching a Big Caribbean Expansion, With New Nonstop Flights to Aruba, Jamaica, St. Thomas, and Punta Cana 

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The water along Eagle Beach has a luminous blue that seems to go on forever. In Montego Bay, the hills rise behind a sweep of resorts, beaches and old sugar-estate country. On St. Thomas, ferries leave the harbor for St. John, sailboats cross Pillsbury Sound and Magens Bay curves around one of the Caribbean’s most […]

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What to Know About St Lucia Travel Right Now  

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While most travel advisors are aware of St. Lucia’s most prominent hotels, many of the island’s smaller properties are picking up steam, particularly those in the increasingly popular Bay Gardens portfolio. In fact, Richard Moss, senior sales manager for North America for the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, said St. Lucia’s smaller hotels are beginning to […]

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ASTA CEO Zane Kerby on What Travel Agents Need to Know About the Caribbean Right Now

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On the heels of its recent Caribbean Showcase event that brought more than 250 advisors to Sandals Royal Curacao, the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) is already looking ahead to next year’s event, planning ways to prepare advisors for the obstacles ahead. To learn more about the state of the Caribbean, CTA caught up […]

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This Is the Biggest Trend in Caribbean Travel Right Now, According to Travel Agents 

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During the third annual American Society of Travel Advisors’ (ASTA) Caribbean Travel Showcase in Curacao, many agents shared the hottest trends currently thriving in the Caribbean. But one seems to be the biggest, agents told Caribbean Travel Advisor. Here’s what else she had to say about trends, obstacles and the habits of today’s Caribbean traveler.  […]


ASTA CEO Zane Kerby on What Travel Agents Need to Know About the Caribbean Right Now

Sandals has seen tremendous success with its newest resort, Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which opened its doors earlier this spring.  That comes two years after it debuted its new Sandals Royal Curacao resort, a property that was home to this week’s ASTA Caribbean Travel Showcase event.  The news comes as Sandals announced plans […]

The "Easiest Caribbean Island to Sell"

More than 260 agents attended the ongoing third annual American Society for Travel Advisors (ASTA) Caribbean Travel Showcase event hosted at the new Sandals Royal Curacao. One of those agents, Roshni Karnavat, an advisor with Cruise Planners, said while she has learned and implemented the latest selling tactics, she still believes social media is the […]

Top Agent: OTA’s Are "Hurting" Travel Advisor Business

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) just concluded its third annual Caribbean Travel Showcase in Curacao. More than 260 agents and about 50 suppliers attended the much-anticipated event at the new Sandals Royal Curacao. As part of the event, Caribbean Journal chatted with some of the top Caribbean advisors at the show, including Erin […]

Caribbean Vacation Villas See “Major Spike in Demand”

It’s been arguably the biggest trend in the Caribbean travel industry since the pandemic: the rise of villa vacations.  And it’s showing no signs of slowing down, with villa requests showing “a major spike in demand,” according to Sharon Strelzer, owner of the Travel Made Special travel agency.  Caribbean Travel Advisor caught up with Strelzer […]

Secrets’ Newest Caribbean Resort Is Taking Bookings Soon 

It has been arguably the most-anticipated Secrets resort in the Caribbean since it was first announced back in 2019. And now it’s finally getting close to opening, Caribbean Travel Advisor has learned.  During the ongoing third annual American Society for Travel Advisors (ASTA) Caribbean Travel Showcase in Curacao, Ricardo Portillo, director of sales for Secrets […]

Sandals’ Top Resort in Jamaica Right Now, According to Agents

Sandals is always right around the top when it comes to the resorts that travel agents book the most.  In the buzzing destination of Jamaica, one of the company’s brands is seeing the most demand right now, a collection of travel agents told Caribbean Travel Advisor.  So where is it?  It’s the company’s newest resort […]

These Are Travel Agents' Most-Booked Caribbean Hotel Brands Right Now

With more than half the year in the books, advisors recently shared just how successful certain hotels have been to their respectful agencies. From what hotels garnered the most bookings to popular brands and obstacles presented by big time hospitality changes, Caribbean advisors talk about the year in a review of hotel bookings. Here’s what […]

Caribbean and Mexico Travel Advisors on the Karisma-Lomas Split

It’s been more than half of a year since Karisma Hotels & Resorts announced it would no longer manage selected properties that are owned by Grupo Lomas. So, what has the impact been on advisors’ business since this longstanding partnership came to a halt? Most Karisma specialists are saying the company’s Margaritaville and Nickelodeon themed resorts are more than […]