WYNDHAM will enter the Puerto Rico market
on May 10 when the hotel company assumes management of the 600-room
Westin Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Rio Grand, Puerto
Rico, and reflags it as the Wyndham Rio Mar-A Wyndham Grand Resort.
The firm plans a multimillion-dollar overhaul of the 11-year-old
property, including the casino, the two golf courses, the hotel
lobby and all guest rooms. The work will bolster capital
improvements completed during the last two years under Westin's
rein, which included construction of the 7,000-square-foot Mandara
Spa and fitness center, enhancements to the pool deck and the
addition of private cabanas. Wyndham also will develop an adjacent
26-acre tract as a Wyndham Vacation Ownership timeshare resort over
the next several years. The 500-acre resort, located an hour east
of San Juan, is adjacent to El Yunque National Rain Forest and the
Mameyes River. The property represents the largest single addition
to the Wyndham brand since 2005, according to Steven Rudnitsky,
Wyndham Hotel Group president and CEO. Wyndham's Caribbean
portfolio currently includes five properties in the Dominican
Republic, two in the Bahamas, and one in St. Thomas.
TAKEOFFS
" Cayman Airways
will launch three weekly nonstop flights between New York (Kennedy)
and Grand Cayman, effective June 24, subject to government
approval. The flights will operate from New York at 9 a.m. on
Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays; from Grand Cayman, the flights will
depart at 4:10 p.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The
service actually will mark the return of Cayman Airways to the New
York area after a roughly 16-year absence. The carrier currently
has nonstop 737 service to Grand Cayman from Boston, Chicago,
Houston, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Miami as well as
flights from Jamaica and Cuba to Grand Cayman and turboprop service
on Cayman Airways Express between Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and
Little Cayman. For schedules and fares, visit www.caymanairways.com.
" Caribbean
Airlines launched its codeshare service with British Airways
between Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, and London on March 25. Under the
codeshare agreement signed late last year, Caribbean Airlines
partnered with British Airways to offer daily flights from Barbados
and Trinidad to London's Gatwick Airport. On Wednesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays, the Boeing 777 flights originate in Trinidad, stop
in Barbados and continue on to Gatwick. On the remaining days, the
flight originates in Barbados, but Caribbean Airlines operates a
shuttle service to provide a seamless connection to the BA London
flight. Caribbean Airlines' customers can redeem frequent flyer
rewards on the London flights. The carrier hopes to extend the
reward redemption to BA's global network later this year. For
schedules, visit www.caribbean-airlines.com.
BEVERLY
NICHOLSON DOTY was confirmed as commissioner of tourism of
the U.S. Virgin Islands by the Virgin Islands Legislature on March
20, assuming the post held by Pamela Richards, former chairman of
the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Nicholson Doty, whose career
spans 25 years in the tourism and hospitality industry, most
recently served as president of the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel &
Tourism Association. She was nominated as commissioner of tourism
by John deJongh, governor of the USVI who took office in
January.
THE ANNUAL
BEST OF BARBADOS promotion has returned again with savings
of up to $800 per couple for travel from May 1 to July 5. Travel
must be booked by April 21; the minimum-stay requirement is seven
nights. Several tour operators offer the Best of Barbados packages,
including Delta Vacations, Gogo Worldwide Vacations and Liberty
Travel. This year's package features an air credit of $200 per
person, the first night free at one of the 35 participating hotels,
daily breakfast and a 25% discount per couple on select ground
activities. For a list of participating hotels and attractions,
visit www.visitbarbados.org.
Caribbean
Editor: Gay Nagle Myers
Phone: (201) 902-1924
[email protected]
For promotional
opportunities in the E-letters, contact [email protected].