THE PUERTO
RICO TOURISM CO. relaunched its Puerto Rico Now promotion,
originally launched a year ago to promote the island as a "no
passport required" destination. The promotion includes a $250 food
and beverage credit to be applied upon checkout for travelers
booking a four-night stay at participating hotels. Reservations
must be made by Jan. 21 via PRTC's booking engine at www.gotopuertorico.com or through Expedia, Orbitz and
Gogo Worldwide Vacations. Travel must be completed by April 30.
Other components of the Puerto Rico Now campaign include
partnerships with entertainment outlets, an intensified effort to
bring television shows to shoot on location in Puerto Rico and
enhanced reminders that no passport is required to visit Puerto
Rico from the U.S.
THE CARIBBEAN
HOTEL ASSOCIATION's Caribbean Marketplace 2008 is set for
Jan. 13 to 15 at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas, marking
the seventh time that the annual conference has been hosted by the
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation and the Bahamas Hotel
Association. More than 300 buyers are registered for the conference
to date, surpassing registration figures for the same period last
year. The buyers include wholesalers; incentives and groups
operators; meetings planners; and dive shop owners from around the
world. Close to 800 public- and private-sector tourism
representatives from 36 Caribbean destinations also have registered
for Marketplace. The event employs a Matchmaker appointment
scheduling process, which matches buyer and supplier requests. For
registration details, visit www.caribbeanhotelassociation.com.
SPIRIT
AIRLINES will continue its Caribbean expansion from its
Florida gateways with the Feb. 14 launch of daily nonstop service
from Orlando to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The new service will
complement Spirit's existing connecting service from Orlando and
its nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale to Aguadilla on the
island's northwestern coast, best known for its beaches and
surfing. In Puerto Rico, Spirit also offers service to San Juan and
Ponce from Florida. Meanwhile, Spirit launched daily nonstops from
Fort Lauderdale to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, marking its 23rd
destination served in the Caribbean and Latin America and its 39th
destination overall.
THE JOLLY
BEACH RESORT in Antigua, an all-inclusive property with
464 rooms, expanded its travel agent Loyalty Program and added cash
rewards for travel agent bookings. Agents will be rewarded with a
$25 cash bonus for every three bookings of three or more nights for
travel from Jan. 1 through March 31. Cash rewards will be
distributed after travel is completed. The incentives are part of
the resort's enhanced Loyalty Program that includes a commission
increase to 15% on year-round bookings made directly with the
resort through its toll-free number at (866) 905-6559. Effective
Jan. 1, agents will earn one free night for every five bookings of
five or more nights. The free nights can be redeemed for travel
from April 16 to Dec. 20; there is no limit on the number of nights
that can be earned. Jolly Beach also launched a nightly fam rate of
$80 per person, for agents and a guest, valid from April 16 through
Dec. 20. Agents must present a valid IATA or CLIA card upon arrival
and must specify booking code TAUS08 when making a reservation. For
details, visit www.jollybeachresort.com.
Caribbean
Editor: Gay Nagle Myers
Phone: (201) 902-1924
[email protected]
For promotional
opportunities in the E-letters, contact [email protected].