CJ Travel

A Stone’s Throw from the Old Caribbean

Jamaica’s Palmyra Resort in Receivership

The $150 million Palmyra Resort and Spa in Rose Hall, Jamaica, has been placed in receivership by local banks, according to sources. National Commercial Bank, likely the hotel’s largest creditor, is owed $88 million in financing. Kenneth Tomlinson, the CEO …

Gonsalves: Need for Calm on REDjet

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has called for moderation in the debate over new low-cost air carrier REDjet. According to Gonsalves, who said he had been following the public debate over the company, he had …

New Airline Could Launch in Turks

A new air carrier, SkyCruise Airways, is set to launch in Turks and Caicos after submitting plans to the government’s Air Transport Licensing Authority. According to documents filed with the ATLA, the company’s points of departure and final destinations include …

Op-Ed: OBMI’s Tim Peck on How to Improve the Caribbean Hotel Market

By Tim Peck Despite challenges the Caribbean has faced in the past few years, the future for the industry shows great potential. The prudent hotel owner should now be focusing on repositioning their property to preserve their asset and prepare …

REDjet Licence Controversy Continues between Barbados, Trinidad

The failure of new low-cost air carrier REDjet to obtain a licence to fly from Barbados to Trinidad continues to stoke tensions between the two countries, with Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart yesterday claiming that Trinidad was “second-guessing” his government’s …

Jamaica to Have Direct China Flights

Jamaica should soon have direct flights to China, according to Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett. China is the fastest growing market for outbound travelers in the world, he said. The plan would introduce direct flights between Beijing and Montego Bay, …

Rihanna to Promote Barbados Tourism

By the Caribbean Journal staff Singer Rihanna has signed a multi-year deal with the Barbados Tourism Authority to exclusively promote the country. The three-year partnership will begin on Aug. 5, when Rihanna performs a full-length concert of her “Loud” tour. …

Virgin May Drop Kingston Flights

Virgin Atlantic may be dropping its flights to Kingston, and Jamaican Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett is set to meet with the company to discuss the matter. The move will not affect flights from London to Jamaica’s Montego Bay, however. “We …

Ahead of Strong Hurricane Season, Worries over Jamaica’s Preparedness

Ahead of a hurricane season that could see between three and six major hurricanes, Jamaica’s National Works Agency said it had only a third of the nearly $94 million ($8 billion JMD) needed to repair Kingston’s gully network. According to …

Inspirato’s Brian Corbett on Caribbean Travel and the Promise of Anguilla

Sheriva in Anguilla By Alexander Britell Luxury destination club Inspirato was founded in part by brothers Brent and Brad Handler, who also started Exclusive Resorts, the ultra high-end vacation club. The company is now in nine cities in the Americas …

REDjet’s Burns: No Plans to Sue

REDjet CEO Ian Burns said his company had no plans to bring a lawsuit against Jamaican authorities after its application to operate flights to the island had been delayed. “We’re in business in the Caribbean to work with governments and …

Jamaican Tourism Looks to Latin America

Jamaican Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett announced that the Jamaica Tourist Board had negotiated deals to bring 10,000 Latin American visitors to the island this year, with airline seats secured out of Brazil, Chile and Colombia. “We succeeded,” Bartlett said. “We …

Report: Caribbean Could See 3 to 6 Major Hurricanes This Year

Photo source: NOAA By the Caribbean Journal staff The Atlantic basin is slated to see an above-normal hurricane season this year, according to the U.S. government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency is predicting between 12 to 18 named …

REDjet Nears Trinidad Clearance

New air carrier REDjet is close to securing final clearance for flights in and out of Trinidad, after a week that saw a great deal of controversy over barriers for the company in Jamaica and Trinidad. According to Ramesh Lutchmedial, …

New Airline REDjet Lobbies for Flights to Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago

New low-fare Caribbean air carrier REDjet is unable to fly to Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and is asking politicians in the two countries to change their current policy. “REDjet is extremely disappointed for its passengers in Trinidad and Jamaica …

Study: Caribbean Will See 7.4 Million Travelers in Next Ten Years

Anguilla The Caribbean could see as many as 7.4 million visitors in the next ten years, according to a joint study by Ypartnership and the U.S. Travel Association. “There is no way the current capacity can handle that, so it’s …

Jamaican Quake Began in Blue Mountains

The 4.2-magnitude earthquake this morning in Jamaica originated in Chestervale, St. Andrew in the country’s Blue Mountains, according to the University of the West Indies – Mona Earthquake Unit. The quake was felt in St. Thomas, Kingston and St. Andrew. …

Expansion on Track at Sandals Emerald Bay in Exuma

The expansion of the Sandals Emerald Bay in Exuma is underway, with a multi-million-dollar, 63-room expansion set to continue until the end of May. The hotel will have a total of 183 units after the project is completed, with two …