Home

Airbnb today is rolling out a few new additions to their home-booking system, including new tiers that are aimed at higher-end customers, called Airbnb Plus and Beyond by Airbnb.

The new Airbnb Plus tier has homes that are verified for “quality and comfort,” rolling out with around 2,000 homes to start that have been inspected against a thorough checklist. The luxury tier, called Beyond by Airbnb, is built around whole trips including hospitality, custom experience and — of course — higher-end homes. Each appears to be targeting verticals within the travel space that make sense based on the typical hospitality industry, but weren’t specifically singled out on Airbnb.

Rather than just searching for a home on Airbnb and flipping through the photos or reviews, the new tiers may offer customers willing to spend more an opportunity to tap into the same expectations they’d get from a luxury resort — or, at least, a higher-end one aiming to hit the status of something like the Sofitel in Bangkok, Thailand. Frequent business travelers often have accumulated massive piles of reward points (and maybe have bigger travel budgets) and may be accustomed to this, and there’s also plenty of opportunity to target the same kinds of experiences that something like an Atlantis full-service resort in the Bahamas might offer (with water slides and all).

Source: By Shivani Vora - New York Times 

• What aspect of the travel industry won’t wellness touch in 2018?

Perhaps none.

From hotels and cruises to airports, airlines, safaris and group tours, wellness promises to be everywhere in the world of travel. Five years ago wellness on the road meant heading to a destination spa to embark on a specific program such as weight loss or staying at a hotel with a nice gym; more recently, the concept has evolved to include all categories of travel, and encompasses overall physical and emotional health.

Westmoreland, Jamaica, W.I. (January 12, 2018). Bongo Roache of Westmoreland, Jamaica is one of our popular indigenous certified herbalist/practitioner and a Rastafarian. He has been practicing close to 40 years and freely offers his wisdom and healing methods to all. Today, he needs our support.

On the 31^st of December Bongo had an unfortunate fall, stepping on a rock on his farm, he lost his balance, fell and fractured his left hip. He is presently in hospital awaiting a date for surgery, which has yet to be decided. Therefore, he has asked to receive private surgery at a competent hospital to immediately address any undue blood clotting trauma or misalignment of his hip, which would impair proper walking. Presently at the Savanna La Mar hospital in stable but sometimes painful condition, Bongo requires an implant to repair his hip fracture. After the operation he will require physiotherapy for several weeks to assist him to walk again. 

During his convalescence, he will be unable to practice his livelihood, denying his usual income, which comes from planting, reaping and preparing his herbal remedies from his home base and herbal practice at Zimbali Retreat, Canaan Mountain, Westmoreland. Mr. Mark Swainbank the owner of Zimbali Retreat and Sharon Parris Chambers, Health & Wellness Consultant, have both decided to source donations through “Go Fund Me" to assist Bongo Roache. 

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Sunday January 7, 2018 – Spirit Airlines will be increasing flights to Jamaica in March.

It has announced additional flights to Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay from Baltimore-Washington International Airport in Maryland, United States, from March 22.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett hailed this development as yet another indication of the increasing demand for Jamaica and augurs very well for the tourism growth strategy.

CARICOM’s incoming chairman, Jovenel Moise of Haiti, says the absolute necessity to create a climate smart region is clear, given the effects of climate change which have brought destructive hurricanes

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Wednesday January 3, 2018 – With the Bahamas and Dominica which were hit hard by hurricanes in September both aiming to be the world’s first climate resilient nations, the wider Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has a similar goal.

CARICOM’s incoming chairman, Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse says it’s aiming to create the first climate resilient region in the world.

Source: ETN

Caribnewsroom Editor's Comment: This is a must read article which brings a wealth of respect and value to Caribbean peoples. Valuing a society, it mores and its contribution to the world is worth more than gold. (Sharon Parris-Chambers)

Maybe I should have suggested a headline ‘The quest for the Caribbean heart and soul and purifying its society’. But there are more and different perspectives to it. It should be a top resolution for the New Year. Tourists and especially the new generation of so called Millennials will become the core customer group from the Caribbean source markets for travel and leisure. They are known to be looking for authenticity when the they visit destinations. They wish to find, understand and experience original culture or at least significant remnants of it. Culture may be one of the highest of values of a territory.

SECRETARY GENERAL CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION

Bridgetown, Barbados (28 Dec 2017) - This has been a challenging year for Caribbean tourism. While the first half of the year saw exciting growth in both tourism infrastructure and tourist arrivals over the previous year, in September we were hit hard by a series of unusual hurricanes that not only destroyed property, but also took the lives of many of our citizens. We must never forget the souls we lost along the way.

Physically, we will recover. Our Caribbean people are a resilient population. We will put the bricks and mortar back together and the hotels and vegetation will rise again and shine in the brilliant sunlight.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett travels to Geneva, Switzerland today (December 17, 2017) , to present the recently unveiled Montego Bay Declaration, to delegates attending the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Closing Ceremony for the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.

“The Declaration of Montego Bay will become incorporated in the documents and the outcomes of the International Year of Sustainability. This is the perhaps the biggest legacy that we could hope for as a small destination – that our name will be indelibly etched in the lexicon of tourism references so that children yet unborn, will know that Montego Bay existed,” said Minister Bartlett.

The 15-point Declaration was one of the major outcomes of the recently concluded UNWTO Global Conference on Sustainable Tourism held in Montego Bay from November 27 to 29. It was first presented by Minister Bartlett and Executive Director of the UNWTO, Carlos Vogeler, on November 29 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

Mandeville, Jamaica, W.I. (December 4, 2017) Louis D’Amore, Founder/President of the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT), has designated 2018 the IIPT International Year Of Community Tourism And Peace in collaboration with Countrystyle/Villages As Businesses.

In 1994, the IIPT branded Jamaica The Home of Community Tourism in recognition of the two pioneers of the community tourism brand and programmes in 1978 in Mandeville Jamaica, Diana McIntyre-Pike, Founder/President, Countrystyle Community Tourism Network and her late business partner Desmond Henry from Treasure Beach, Jamaica. 

In 2013, on the recommendation of the IIPT Caribbean Chapter, the IIPT welcomed the Caribbean Region to join as partners. The Caribbean was then also branded "Home of Community Tourism." The IIPT International Year Of Community Tourism And Peace will mark the 40th Anniversary of Community Tourism, which Countrystyle/Villages as Businesses began in Jamaica and is now an international movement. Celebrations in Jamaica will begin on January 1with a Gospel Concert in Apple Valley Park, Maggotty, St Elizabeth, and will continue at the 15th Annual Resource UNIA-ACL Marcus Garvey Fair in Cross Keys, Manchester on February 25. The 2018 IIPT International Year Of Community Tourism And Peace will also commemorate IIPT’s 30th Anniversary Year. 

With just a few days to go, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is satisfied that all systems are in place for the November 27 to 29 staging of the global conference on sustainable tourism at the Montego Bay Convention Centre (MBCC).

Registration for the UNWTO, Government of Jamaica, World Bank Group and Inter-American Development Bank Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism, was set to cut off on November 17 but was extended to the November 20 to accommodate a last-minute flurry.  

Following a reconnaissance visit to the MBCC and reports from the organizing committee on Saturday (November 18), Minister Bartlett gave the thumbs up. “I’m very satisfied with what I’ve seen and heard,” he said.

In his capacity as chairman of the newly formed Caribbean Tourism Recovery Group Secretariat (CTRGS) and coordinator of the ‘UNWTO Disaster Recovery Working Group for the Affected States in the Caribbean’, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has been invited to give an address at the International Travel Crisis Management Summit (ITCMS) in London.

Minister Bartlett, who departed the island yesterday (November 02, 2017), will use the platform at the ITCMS to share the measures being implemented to increase resiliency in the sector. A major part of this is the creation of the Tourism Rehabilitation Action Plan for the Caribbean islands recently devastated by natural disasters.

“The Caribbean remains united in rebuilding our tourism sector to its former glory. In fact, my Ministry is working very closely with the international and regional organizations as well as other Ministers within the Caribbean to create a working strategy to strengthen the sector’s resilience to the effects of climate change and natural disaster, thus making it more sustainable,” said the Minister. 

KINGSTON, Jamaica; October 25, 2017: The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) has announced their endorsement of the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) global conference to be held in Jamaica in November.

Adam Goldstein, who is the FCCA’s Executive Committee Chairman and current President and COO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, gave the endorsement to Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, during a private meeting between Presidents and CEOs of  FCCA member lines and Ministers of Tourism, on October 25 in Merida, Mexico.

During the meeting, the group also discussed strategies to drive year-round traffic to the region, the creation of more employment opportunities and the development of strategic partnerships.

Jamaica's Ministry of Tourism

KINGSTON, Jamaica, October 4, 2017:  Jamaica continues to extend our thoughts and prayers to our Caribbean brothers and sisters, especially residents in those islands that took a direct hit from the recent hurricanes and to everyone who has been or will be affected as a result of these catastrophic storms.

We recognize that the entire Caribbean region will be adversely impacted by the lasting results of Hurricanes Irma and Maria and have set a course of action that is designed to minimize the long-term effect on the region.

The brand began managing the resort on Oct 1; in the first quarter of 2018, the property will be fully reflagged and renamed as the Mandarin Oriental, Canouan.

The property has a total of 26 suites and 12 villas; it also includes a beachside infinity pool, three night-lit tennis courts, a fitness center and a kids’ club.

The five-square-mile island is home to a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, a superyacht marina and the largest natural coral reef in the southern Caribbean.