Caribbean Travel Advisor

Bliss Honeymoons Is Launching a Sober Travel Program

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Bliss Honeymoons & Destination Weddings has brought on veteran Caribbean travel writer Joe Pike to lead its new Sober Travel Program, tapping a two-decade industry name to build out alcohol-free honeymoons and romantic getaways across the Caribbean and Mexico.

Pike, a regular CJ contributor since 2019, joins the agency as it expands a planning service aimed at sober-curious couples and anyone seeking a getaway built around wellness and connection rather than resort bars and party-focused excursions. Bliss launched the program in April.

“Joe brings two decades of Caribbean expertise to Bliss,” said Laura Frazier, owner of Bliss Honeymoons. “When we launched this service, my goal was to show couples that an alcohol-free getaway can be every bit as romantic, adventurous, and unforgettable as any other.”

Pike is currently in Bliss’ in-house training program, run by advisor Kelly Chartrand, and is expected to complete his certification toward the end of June. “Our training goes far beyond destinations and resorts,” Chartrand said. “I teach every new advisor how to listen, anticipate a couple’s needs, and design trips around genuine connection.”

Pike has spent 20 years writing and producing travel content. He spent 12 years at Questex Media Group, including 10 as senior editor and Caribbean expert for Travel Agent magazine, where he also covered Mexico, Central and South America, Bermuda and Hawaii. He later served as senior editor and director of the Millennial Travel Forum at travAlliancemedia and TravelPulse. Beyond Caribbean Journal, he has written for Travel Market Report and Insider Travel Report.

His work has earned a string of industry honors, including the Jamaica Tourist Board’s Marcia Vickery-Wallace Memorial Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism in 2009 and the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Inner Circle King Award for Best Feature Article in a Trade Publication in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2016. His feature on marketing the Caribbean to the LGBTQ market took the top prize at the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Caribbean Travel Media Awards in 2016.

Pike holds a master’s degree in newspaper, magazine and online journalism from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and began his career as a newspaper reporter at the Asbury Park Press in New Jersey.

“I’ve had a lot of success as a writer, and now I’m very excited about using that inside knowledge of the Caribbean and Mexico to help others enjoy what I’ve experienced,” Pike said.

Once Pike completes his certification at the end of June, couples will be able to book Caribbean and Mexican getaways with him at blisshoneymoons.com.

St. Kitts Just Launched Its Biggest-Ever Travel Agent Rewards Program: Meet SKY

By: Caitlin Sullivan

St. Kitts wants to make it worth your while to sell the destination — and the island’s tourism board is putting real perks behind that promise.

The St. Kitts Tourism Authority has launched the 2026 SKY Programme — short for St. Kitts Your Way — a sweeping travel-trade initiative built to reward and equip the advisors who actively champion the destination. Running from June 1 through December 15, 2026, the program gives travel agents across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom access to preferred rates at ten participating properties, paired with a slate of benefits designed to deepen product knowledge and selling confidence.

It’s the SKTA’s most robust trade-facing effort to date, and it signals where the authority is putting its energy: long-term, meaningful partnerships with the advisor community rather than one-off promotions.

The thinking behind SKY is refreshingly direct. Agents who invest in learning and selling St. Kitts deserve to be rewarded for that work. So qualifying advisors get exclusive rates at ten of the island’s most distinctive properties — spanning everything from intimate boutique stays to full-service luxury resorts — plus a set of on-island perks waiting for them when they arrive.

The benefits package is built around four pillars. Participating agents receive exclusive travel agent rates at all ten participating properties, valid for the full run of the program. They also get complimentary site inspections at those properties, so advisors can sell the island with firsthand familiarity rather than secondhand brochure copy. Qualifying agents are further treated to complimentary island tours and excursions that showcase the breadth of St. Kitts’ natural beauty, history, and culture. And everyone in the program receives a St. Kitts Value Card offering exclusive discounts across tours, restaurants, and island experiences.

The site-inspection and excursion components are the standouts here. There’s no substitute for an advisor who has actually walked a property and ridden the Scenic Railway when it comes time to match a client to the right hotel — and SKY is clearly designed to turn participation into genuine destination expertise, not just a discount code.

On the lodging side, the ten participating properties were chosen to cover a range of categories, locations, and price points, giving advisors something to recommend for nearly every type of client. The roster includes the Park Hyatt St. Kitts and the St. Kitts Marriott Resort, alongside the Royal St. Kitts Hotel, KOI Resort Saint Kitts, Timothy Beach Resort, and Belle Mont Sanctuary Resort. Rounding out the lineup are Sunset Reef, Seaview Gardens, Sugar Bay Club, and Bird Rock Beach Hotel.

That spread is worth noting. With the Park Hyatt and Belle Mont anchoring the luxury end, the Marriott handling larger groups and resort-style stays, and properties like Timothy Beach, Bird Rock, and Sugar Bay covering more accessible price points, advisors have a credible answer ready whether a client is booking a milestone honeymoon or a value-minded winter escape.

For agents who already work the Eastern Caribbean — or who have been looking for a reason to add St. Kitts to their repertoire — the window is open now and runs through mid-December, comfortably spanning the lead-up to peak winter booking season. With improving airlift into the region and St. Kitts’ growing luxury inventory, an investment in learning the destination this summer could pay off through the high season and beyond.

Advisors interested in participating can reach out to the St. Kitts Tourism Authority for enrollment details and qualifying requirements.

The St. Maarten Trade Show Every Caribbean-Focused Travel Advisor Is Talking About

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

The St. Maarten/St. Martin Annual Regional Tradeshow (SMART) is on track for a record-setting 2026 edition, with booth bookings already surpassing last year’s totals and only a handful of spaces remaining three months out from the June 22–26 event.

Now in its 18th year, SMART has expanded its convention footprint to occupy the full JW Marriott Resort Convention Center — and even with the added square footage, organizers say 79% of booths are already spoken for. The pace suggests the show will sell out earlier than its 2024 and 2025 editions, both of which were considered benchmark years.

The binational tradeshow is jointly organized by the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association, the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, l’Office du Tourisme, and Club du Tourisme, reflecting the rare cross-border collaboration between the Dutch and French sides of the island.

A Wider Regional Footprint

This year’s exhibitor floor reads like a snapshot of the northeastern Caribbean: delegations from Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Montserrat, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Maarten, St. Martin, and the United States have all confirmed booth presence.

For travel advisors, that breadth is part of the appeal — SMART has quietly become one of the more efficient ways to meet suppliers from a dozen-plus destinations under one roof.

The popular “Meet the Neighbors Friday Tours” have also grown, now offering excursions to three nearby destinations rather than two: Anguilla, Saba, and St. Eustatius (Statia). It’s a chance for buyers to step off-island and see the product firsthand.

European Buyers Driving the Summer Push

One of the more notable trends in this year’s registrations is the rising share of European buyers. SMART’s June timing has always positioned it as a bridge into the Caribbean’s softer summer season, and that’s resonating with European wholesalers in particular.

According to the European Travel Commission, 77% of Europeans reserve summer for travel, with July and August leading the pack — a window that aligns neatly with the northeastern Caribbean’s traditional low season. For destinations looking to smooth out the calendar beyond the winter peak, the European pipeline is increasingly central.

North American wholesalers continue to attend in strong numbers as well, giving the show its bi-continental character.

To support international attendance, SMART has secured travel discounts through KLM/Air France for European visitors, Copa Airlines for Latin American markets, and Winair for regional travel partners.

New Programming on the Floor

Beyond the booth expansion, SMART 2026 introduces the Grant Thornton Green Room, a complimentary space dedicated to NGOs working to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the island. Those booths are already fully claimed.

The BookingSuccess Small Hotel Plaza returns as well, offering reduced-price presence and pre-scheduled appointments for smaller properties across the northeastern Caribbean. Only three booths remain in that section.

Booking Window Closing

With buyer and walkaround tickets still available for a longer window, organizers are urging exhibitors and tourism companies — as well as businesses looking to do business with regional tourism players — to lock in booth space sooner rather than later.

SMART 2026 is supported by a broad roster of private-sector partners including Amigo Tours, Autobev, CC1 St. Maarten, Expedia, Grand Case Beach Club, Liberty Business, Port St. Maarten, Princess Juliana International Airport, Rainforest Adventures, ShowMe Caribbean, the St. Maarten Timeshare Association, and Vin de Plage, among others.

More Than 130 Travel Leaders Gathered Aboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas for the 2026 North American Skal Conference

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Nocturne Luxury Villas Is Giving Travel Advisors Up to 15 Percent Commission in the Caribbean

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

The Travel Advisor’s Guide to Saint Lucia

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Rental Escapes Launches New Incentive With Double Points for Travel Advisor Month

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Global Travel Collection Unifies Protravel, Tzell and ALTOUR Advisors Into $2.4 Billion Platform

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Internova Is Turning Sustainability Into a Sales Driver — And Advisors Are Already Seeing Results

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Global Travel Collection Expands The Circle, Targeting Top-Producing Advisors With New Growth Platform

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Hotel Spotlight: Secrets Tides Punta Cana

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

St. Kitts Tourism Authority Wraps UK Roadshow With Strong Travel Advisor Engagement

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

The St. Kitts Tourism Authority has completed a multi-city UK roadshow designed to deepen its relationship with the travel trade, engaging more than 160 advisors and industry partners through a series of in-person events across England.

Led by CEO Kelly Fontenelle, the initiative focused on direct advisor education and market visibility, with support from UK Sales and Marketing Consultant Chelcie Lewis and UK Trade Sales Representative Suzy Trott. Hotel partners including Park Hyatt St. Kitts, Timothy Beach Resort, and St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casinojoined the programme, giving advisors a clearer view of the island’s range of accommodations.

The roadshow began in the West Midlands with participation in Caribbean in the Country at Nailcote Hall, where approximately 30 agents attended a marketplace-style event that combined seminars, scheduled meetings, and networking. The Tourism Authority also hosted a cocktail reception, introducing attendees to Kittitian rum and reinforcing the destination through a more experiential format.

In Kenilworth, the team joined a Travel Gossip networking dinner, again working with a group of around 30 agents. The setting allowed for more informal engagement, supported by prize giveaways that kept participation high and conversations focused on the destination.

Manchester marked a shift toward deeper product engagement, with a dedicated St. Kitts Travel Agent Evening hosted by the Tourism Authority. Advisors received presentations from both the destination team and participating hotel partners, offering a more detailed look at the island’s accommodation mix and overall tourism offering. Incentives played a role in driving engagement, with hotel stays awarded across all three partner properties, alongside a place on an upcoming fam trip.

The programme then moved to London, where the Tourism Authority accessed a larger advisor base through the Hablonetworking event in Covent Garden. With more than 100 agents registered, the event created a high-volume environment for direct conversations and destination updates, allowing the team to extend its reach within the UK trade.

The roadshow concluded with a smaller, focused training session at the Covent Garden Hotel in partnership with Four Seasons Travel, targeting home-based advisors through a more intimate format that allowed for detailed discussion and direct interaction.

During the visit, the Tourism Authority also participated in the inaugural British Airways Partnership Day, which brought together tourism boards, airline partners, and airport representatives to discuss collaboration and emerging travel trends. The event provided an opportunity to reinforce the importance of airlift alignment as part of St. Kitts’ broader UK strategy.

“This roadshow was an important opportunity for us to connect directly with our valued travel trade partners across the UK and strengthen the relationships that help drive visitation to St. Kitts,” said Fontenelle.

“Travel agents play a critical role in inspiring and booking travel to our destination, and these in-person engagements allow us to provide them with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to sell St. Kitts effectively. Our participation in the British Airways Partnership Day also reinforces the importance of collaboration with our airline partners as we continue to position St. Kitts prominently within the international tourism marketplace.”

The UK remains a key long-haul market for St. Kitts, and the structure of the roadshow reflects a continued emphasis on in-person engagement as a primary driver of advisor confidence and bookings.

Anguilla Steps Up United Kingdom Travel Trade Push 

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Luxury Cruise Demand Is Changing — And Advisors Are Being Asked to Match the Right Client to the Right Ship

By: Caitlin Sullivan

Internova’s Global Travel Collection Just Added New Leadership Across Key Advisor Divisions

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Ocean Hotels Barbados Rolls Out Aggressive Spring-to-Summer Programs as Demand Surges

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Virtuoso Advisors in Latin America and the Caribbean Show Strongest Optimism Globally

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Hotel Spotlight: Fairmont El San Juan, Puerto Rico

By: Caribbean Journal Staff

Hotel Spotlight: The Atlantis Historic Inn Is a Portal to Barbados’ East Coast

By: Caitlin Sullivan