THE CAYMAN ISLANDS will
have 95% of its hotel room inventory, 65% of its
condominium/apartment units and 76% of its guesthouse
accommodations back in operation by next month, according to
Charles Clifford, minister of tourism. Those percentages represent
a combined total of 80% of all room stock that had been damaged by
Hurricane Ivan in September 2004. By March 2006, the combined room
total will be 93%, according to Clifford, who said that all
references to pre-Ivan room stock would now cease. From today
forward we will work with the room stock we have, we will develop
strategies which will fill those rooms and, with our private sector
partners, [will] encourage tourism investment in the Cayman
Islands. Other initiatives announced by Clifford include:
redevelopment of Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand
Cayman, beginning next year; a cruise port development project to
reduce congestion of ships and passengers in George Town, also on
Grand Cayman; and to set up alternate ports on Grand Cayman when
bad weather prevents access to George Town harbor. In addition,
Clifford said that the government will aggressively pursue berthing
facilities to give passengers more time onshore and easier access
on and off the cruise ships.
THE
ALL-INCLUSIVE ALMOND MORGAN BAY Beach Resort in St. Lucia
(formerly the St. Jamess Club at Morgan Bay) will reopen tomorrow
and is offering guests who book a minimum three-night stay by Nov.
30 discounts of 40% until Jan. 21. The special rates start at $150
per person, per night, double ($250 from Dec. 23 to Jan. 5) for a
standard room, including all meals, beverages and taxes. Resort
facilities include four pools, a fitness center, four restaurants,
four bars, a Kids Club that caters to age groups from newborns to
age 16, and a full-service spa. The 238-room resort will expand to
338 rooms by next fall. Almond Resorts also includes three
properties in Barbados: the 161-room Almond Beach Club & Spa;
the 330-room (expanding to 500 rooms by next year) Almond Beach
Village and the 300-room Almond Casuarina Beach Resort, opening
next spring.
OPERATOR
OFFERINGS
" Delta
Vacations expanded its Caribbean product line with the
addition of air-inclusive packages to Antigua and Barbados. Antigua
programs go on sale Dec. 31 for travel beginning Jan. 4; Barbados
programs went on sale Nov. 8 for travel beginning Dec. 8. The
increase brings to 13 the number of destinations served by Delta
Vacations. All packages pay up to 15% commission. In addition to
the new packages, Delta Vacations will further expand with the
launch of new Delta services to destinations already offered by the
operator: Atlanta-St. Maarten, daily service, Nov. 25;
Atlanta-Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, daily, Nov. 25; Atlanta-St.
Lucia, service will expand to daily, Dec. 1; Atlanta-Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic, service will expand to daily, Dec. 1.
" Gogo Worldwide
Vacations and American Airlines offer
discounted air-inclusive packages to more than 200 properties with
savings of up to 35% on programs booked by Nov. 30 for travel Jan.
2 to March 10. Four- and five-night packages start at $599 per
person, double, and cover roundtrip air from New York/Newark,
accommodations, taxes and transfers. For details, visit www.gogowwv.com
TAKEOFFS
" Spirit
Airlines will start nonstop daily service from Fort
Lauderdale to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, beginning Dec. 10.
Introductory fares start at $49 each way but must be booked on www.spiritair.com by Nov. 21 for travel Dec. 10
through Feb. 9.
"
Bahamasair will offer a daily flight from Fort Lauderdale
to Marsh Harbour, Abaco in the Bahamas, effective today. For fares
and schedules, visit www.bahamasair.com.